Ice Cream Cravings
by CupCaKe34
Summary: It all started when I craved the texture of smooth chocolate ice cream melting on my tongue. His silver hair framed his face as he looked down at me and said one word that took away all of my power. "Sleep." And I had no choice. So I did. Me? Now kidnapped.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One **

It all started when I craved the texture of smooth chocolate ice cream melting on my tongue. It was a Sunday night, and school started at seven twenty in the morning. I was always a night person. I looked over at my alarm clock. Its red numbers lit up announcing it was almost one a clock in the morning. I groaned, knowing that in the morning I would regret not going to bed at eight.

I brushed my blankets aside and watched my world tilt as I got up too fast. I staggered dizzy for a few seconds before I shook my head and caught my balance. I didn't bother with the lights and walked out of my room into the darkness. My whole family was fast asleep, and I didn't want to disturb them with the bright light that practically brought day into my house. I shuffled down the stairs tip-toeing. My house was very open, and the smallest sound always ended up echoing throughout the whole house.

Once I made it down stairs, I lightly padded over to the refrigerator. Light beamed into the kitchen from the small light bulb in the freezer. I left the door open as I pulled out the carton of chocolate ice cream. I allowed the small glow to be my source of light.

When I finished scooping the delicious chocolate ice cream into my bowl, I snapped the lid back on the carton and shut off my light source as I closed the freezer door. I stood still with my bowl in hand as I waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark. When I could see the faint outlines of the furniture I took this as a cue to be able to move on.

A shiver collected itself and was sent down my back. I hated that feeling. The one that screams _why aren't you running? There is clearly a murderer about to stab you in the back!_ I rolled my eyes. I got that feeling every time I was alone in a dark house at night. I started to half walk half run up the stairs with fear striking out at me. I took the steps two at a time. I jumped over the last two steps. The chills ran down my back as I made it up to the landing. I let a sigh of relief through my lips and was just about to turn right into the hallway that led to my door. _About to_.

A cold hand wrapped around my mouth from behind me. Their fingers pressed into my checks. Without hesitating, I bit down on the hand. The hand didn't jerk back like it was supposed to; it pressed even harder against my lips. Warm blood trickled into my mouth. The metallic taste hit the back of my throat and almost made me gag. An arm from behind me wrapped around my waist and pushed me against their body. I tried to let out a scream, but with their hand in my mouth it was impossible. My hands let the ice cream bowl drop. I hoped it would cause some sort of noise. The arm around my waist disappeared, and placed itself back around my waist with the ice cream bowl now in their hands. I glued my feet onto the ground and tried struggling with all the strength I had. It wasn't enough.

My capturer started to drag me down the right hallway, into my room. With the hand in my mouth it was hard to make any sort of noise. I tried kicking at the wall, which only made it worse. The single arm that was wrapped around my waist disappeared. Seconds later, I was in my captures arms. Well arm I suppose, since their other hand was still in my mouth. I felt their muscles of their chest against my side. This was a man that held me in his grip. A super strong one. I was screwed.

I was set down when we got by my door, and his hand was still pressed against my mouth. His blood still dripped into my mouth. My stomach turned at the thought of his blood flowing down my throat. His head leaned down next to mine. Lips pressed against my ear.

"Make one move demonstrating protest," His breath was cold and the chills slithered down my body. "And you will not breathe again." For a few seconds we stayed like that. My heart slammed against my chest. We were both still, and his breath was cold as he breathed by my ear. His arm reached out to my door knob and twisted it open. We walked inside my room quietly, and he clicked the door shut quieter than I ever had. My room was dark. I was probably shaking. Fear had a death grip on me. It refused to let go.

"I am going to let you go. One mistake and your life will not be the only one gone from this household. Understand?" His whisper didn't falter. He was deathly serious. I nodded my head. His hands let go of me. I stumbled forward and pressed my back against the bed. I automatically started to spit the blood out of my mouth. Red liquid fell onto my bedroom floor. I glanced up furiously at the intruder.

"What the hell!" I yelled while whispering.

"You just had to drink my blood," he said glancing angrily at me. I just stared back at his shadow in my dark room. A tug of some sort pulled at me from the inside. It was one of the weirdest feelings I had ever experienced.

"A shame really," he continued. "You have involved yourself in a tragedy."

I just glanced at him with my mouth gapped open. His moonlit silver hair hung a little in front of his eyes. He was blending into the night wearing a black sweater and black sweat pants.

"You're a vampire!" I said with excitement. To my astonishment he didn't laugh. He just stared at me. His shadowed figure came forward quickly and grabbed my wrist hard. His hand was cold.

"How did you have knowledge of that?" His eyes darted around my room.

"I didn't." I smiled victoriously. My racing heart speed up.

"Oh." He stared blankly at me and let me go. His expression turned thoughtful.

"Look!" I whispered frantically pulling out Twilight. The book was my proof of his existence. Terrible proof really, but he found it amusing. His laugh was surprised, as if he couldn't believe he was laughing at the moment.

"You are very entertaining. It really is too bad that I have to kill you."

"No! You're not supposed to. See you're supposed to scare me, and then you will save me from yourself." He looked at me with a serious expression. "See? This is the moment you realized I'm too cool to kill." A smirk slowly slipped onto his face.

"Nope, this is the moment when I kill you." Shit.

"You're not gonna kill me." I put on my seriousness.

"Yes, I believe I am, little girl."

"I'm seventeen first of all, and why would you want to kill me?" I swallowed. This wasn't working at all. I needed to distract him by asking questions. I planned on using that as a strategy to get more time to think of an escape plan, but I became interested in his answer.

"You have my blood coursing through your veins. That means you can find me. The people looking for me can find me using you. And so it seems I have no other choice."

"Yes you do. If you're so BA you could get outta here and leave me alone, so what if they know where you were?" I blinked, and before I opened my eyes a hand was around my throat and pushing me against the wall next to my window. It just so happened my blinds were down. If I ever lived again, I was never closing my blinds. His beautiful face looked into mine with a smile.

"I should not risk it," he whispered gently into my ear. I tried to swallow. Well, of course I got to die by being attacked by a vampire; my life was too exciting for something like a car accident. That was sarcasm.

My lungs were starting to feel like they were about to crack. I wanted to tell him he might as well break my neck, it would have feel much better I thought, faster. My eyes stayed open, even as I felt my vision grow spotted. The look that he gave me was confused, and his hand that was taking away my air loosen. His icy blue eyes gazed at me with the curiosity of one who was trying to figure out how to fix a broken object. The hand on my throat loosened again. I got a little sip of air as his left hand came up and brushed the side of my cheek. He held his palm there. He tilted his head before the shattering sound cut through the moment. It sounded like a million diamonds were dropped. The sound echoed through the house. Somewhere in my house, a window broke.

His cold hand dropped from my neck fast, and he pulled me into the corner of my room. My older brother's room was right next to mine, and my younger brother's was right down the hall. My heart quickened at the thought of them getting hurt. I gulped in big breaths of air as I tried shoving him out of my way. I needed to get to my brothers, and where was my mom? He wouldn't move no matter how hard I frantically pushed against him.

"Move!" I screamed, only to get his hand slapped against my mouth again.

"Danger is out there." I tried to tear his hand from my mouth, but it wouldn't budge. My nails scratched at his skin. His eye brows drew together, and he started to loosen his hand.

"So is my family!" I protested.

"You will die. The ones that want me are here." His melodic voice had no influence on me.

"I don't care!" I tried to fight past him.

"No, I do not like this." His voice carried over to me in a small whisper. A figure blurred in front of me and scooped me up.

"Put me down, vampire!" My words were muffled when his hand flew over my mouth.

"Be quiet. Relax." _Relax! Relax!_ _My family is down there!_ That's what I wanted to shout, but it only came out as a bunch of nonsense against his cold hand.

His silver hair framed his face as he looked down at me and said one word that took away all of my power.

"Sleep." And I had no choice. So I did.

**Hello! How did you like it? If you liked it you should answer my question: what's your favorite ice cream flavor? I have this up on fictionpress, and I thought I could post it here too since I have an account on this site as well! Thanks for reading! :) **

**-Cover photo credit to :stock free images . com**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"What the hell is that?" a voice yelled out as my hearing kicked in. My eyes were still closed and blind to what was happening.

"A girl. Your lack of experience is hindering your ability to evaluate this situation. What a shame."

"What he means-" another male voice calmly added "is that she is human."

"I am aware of that," an amused voice said right over me. Silence.

"Then what the hell is she doing here?" No answer.

"Make room," the familiar voice said. Movement. My head grew dizzy as I shifted out of strong arms and onto something stiff and soft. My skin pressed against some material that felt like plastic. I groaned. Wait. There was something about something that I was forgetting. I grew more aware. My eyelids started to feel lighter, and I saw a faint glow of orange behind my closed lids. My eyes opened to blurriness.

Shapes of figures started to piece together. I saw the outlines of four people looking down on me. I blinked until my vision finally became clear.

They were all wearing black. Three of them had all black hair, and one had silver hair. Three of them had matching silver eyes. The silver haired one that I oh-so-recognized looked at me with ice blue eyes. His face had sharp angles and a perfect nose. He was pretty in a dangerous looking sense. A strange pull deep in my chest made me want to stay next to him. I just wanted to reach my hand out and touch him. I swallowed thickly.

My head shifted around to look at each of them. They threw me amused, curious, and angry looks. I looked down at my body. I still had my pink pajamas on. My feet were left bare.

"Ahhhh…" I came out of my sleep groggy. Everything felt fuzzy and light.

"I need shoes," I realized. Three heads tilted and held confused looks on them. The one with silver hair smiled.

"How was your rest?" he dared to ask me.

"How was my rest?" I repeated shaking my head. What did that have to do with anything important? "Where's a pair of shoes I can use?"

"And why would you like this pair of shoes?" His voice was like a slow dance, caressing and smooth.

I sat up too quickly, and everyone backed away. I was on the ground with my two hands holding myself up. The mat I sat on was a dark blue wrestling mat. My body didn't feel right. I glanced up at my kidnapper. Something in my body tugged me. My body felt light as if it weighed much less. My head was dizzy, and every once and a while my vision would blur as if it were being censored. Every second felt surreal.

"Excuse me," I tried to whisper as I glanced at the vampire that kidnapped me.

"Yes?" he responded, leaning in closer to me. His ice blue eyes stared into my green ones.

"Are they all vampires too?" I said while I thought I was being quiet.

"Why, yes, they happen to be."

"So they can hear me right now?" I said extra sneaky. His laugh surprised me.

"She is a weak human," I heard someone say. My ears were dimming all sounds down a couple of notches. It was as if I was holding my hands loosely over my ears.

"Well, yes. She managed to somehow drink my blood and so it would-" Before the familiar voice could finish his sentence, I heard a loud crash. I jumped up from the mat, and I staggered onto my feet.

A few feet away, two figures were down on the mats. One of the vampires had attacked the vampire who kidnapped me. He was repeatedly hitting my vampire. Mine. And that's when I got a little crazy. My palms grew sweaty. My fists clenched at my sides. Anger poured into my body like nothing I have experienced before. The two figures were too fast for my eyes to follow. I concentrated, and within a couple of seconds my eyes caught their quick movements.

I moved over to where they had shifted up against the wall. The other vampire was holding my vampire against the wall. Before one of them could make another move, I pushed the unfamiliar one's shoulder. For a short moment time seemed to have stopped. His head snapped towards me. His silver eyes had turned red, and they stared at me with hate. His mouth opened with a hiss, and his fangs shot out of his mouth as a warning.

"Back off," I heard myself say as I looked at him with the same hate. I blinked. My eyes opened to empty air. I turned my head to the ground. My vampire held a knife to the other ones throat.

"Calm down," my vampire said with authority in his voice. His silver hair covered half of his face as he glanced down at the other vampire. Slowly, the tension in the room lessened.

"Do you wish to be dead?" I turned my head and looked over my shoulder. Two feet behind me a figure stood. His black hair fell into his eyes in such a way it made him hard to read. Anger still simmered inside me. It was taking over my ability to think. All I wanted to do was jump down and press the knife my vampire was holding into the one who had threatened him.

"I wish him to be," I said as I pointed to the threat. A smirk appeared on his face.

"That's not a smart thing to wish. If someone else heard you say that many would want you dead."

"As opposed to you doing what?" I asked. I could feel my chest rising and falling with labored breaths. I glanced around the room that seemed to stretch a long ways. It was a training room. There were targets on the other side of the room. Punching bags hung a little ways away from the wall. Mats were pressed together scattered through the room.

"Not killing you," he answered.

"Her protective instinct is kicking in. Take her away, Rev." I peered at my vampire.

"Zane, I do not-" The guy standing beside me started to reply. Zane. _Mine_. My body and mind were in a trance. Zane still held the knife to the other vampire's throat when his iced blue eyes turned to us.

"Do you wish to test my authority too, Revenge?" he asked with a menacing tone. His face looked relaxed, but if I really looked close enough I could see the tension in his eyes.

"Miss, if you would come with me?" Revenge, the guy who was standing slightly behind me, smiled.

"No, I'm not leaving him," I replied. I needed to be next to Zane.

"We are just going to take a small walk," Revenge said.

"I'm not going."

"Leave now." Zane's voice seemed to echo through my body. Without thinking too much, I sighed and turned toward Revenge. He led us out of the training room. I didn't want to follow Revenge. I wanted to stay with Zane. A physical ache was in my body. What if something goes wrong? I couldn't get my body to turn around. Zane's command rang clear in my head _leave now_.

"In a few minutes you are going to come back to yourself. Just try to relax." Revenge slid an arm around my body and helped my flimsy legs walk. My head pounded. The emotions inside of me mixed together. I didn't know what to feel. I was so tired, but energy burned inside of me. I shoved Revenge's shoulder.

"Take me back!" I said as I shoved his shoulder again. His body didn't budge. He just kept his arm under me and walked.

"We shall get something for you to eat. That may make you a little less… feisty." I groaned and tried to pull away. Didn't he know what he was doing? He was trying to keep me from Zane. I hated him.

"I don't like you," I whispered. I jumped when he let out a loud laugh.

"So it seems that way now, but in a few minutes I think that you will find me rather pleasing." The white hall way we had been walking down ended abruptly. Two white double doors stood at the dead end. Walking with Revenge holding me up, we both pushed through them.

Round tables littered the cafeteria in no particular order. The tables had enough space between them so that others wouldn't hear the conversation from the table next to theirs. It took me a moment to realize the others sitting at the tables had turned to us and sat frozen. I was foreign to them, and it was as if everyone in the room was shocked at seeing me. About fifteen pairs of eyes were on us. Zane started to slip from my mind a little. A blonde haired girl at the table closest to the door had stopped raising her glass, so she held it in the air next to her. She wasn't a vampire, I realized with shock. Although she was pretty, on her face a long scar stretched from under her right eye to just right above her right lip. Our eyes met. Nobody moved.

A loud clanking sound echoed through the room. It sounded like someone had hit their knife on their plate. Suddenly, everyone snapped back into action. The whispers were still low though, certain to be quiet. I was worn out and let Revenge lead me to a random table. I zoned out as a girl came up to our table and asked us what we would like. She was also human. I let Revenge answer for me.

"Human?" Revenge whispered at me from across the table. "Are you well?" I looked into Revenge's silver eyes. Silver eyes. Vampires have silver eyes not gold. I thought. Oh my God. Vampires. Realization poured over me like acid rain. I stood up on my feet with a sudden jerk. I closed my eyes.

"One, two, three," I said quietly then I opened my eyes. Fudge! Revenge's eyebrows were raised. Okay, I'm going to try again and I won't be at a table with a vampire. I closed my eyes.

"One, two, three." Damn everything!

"Oh. My. God." We all remember that vampire that kidnapped me and left my family to die, right? Yeah, well just a few minutes ago I thought of him as mine. I was angry that he was getting hurt! I should've been the one hurting him! I glanced at Revenge.

"What is wrong with me?" Revenge's laugh echoed through the room.

"Sit down, human. You are alerting the others." I sat with a frown on my face and fury running through my veins.

"Thank you for getting me out of there," I told Revenge who looked at me with a smirk.

"I knew you were going to say that," he responded.

"Thank the lord you got me out of there when you did, cuz I swear I was just about to pounce on that other vampire that wasn't mine." I took a bite of my mash potatoes then peered up to see a smile on Revenge's face.

"Is Zane the vampire you called 'mine'?"

"I did not say that!" I shouted as I thought I just said that.

"So the human lies too."

"Are you talking to me or yourself?" His smirk turned into a laugh.

"You really are amusing."

"I'm glad you're enjoying my misery," I grumbled as the girl Revenge was talking to earlier came to the table and placed food in front of me.

"Human, this is a rather comical situation for me." I reexamined his face and was startled to find that his eyes looked a little worn.

"And what about this is L-O-L?" I said as I looked down at the mash potatoes and pancakes in front of me. What kind of combination was that?

"Your wording is confusing me," he answered. I glanced up at him with a smirk. His shirt wasn't black, I realized. It was a very dark blue. That made me happy. Too many vampires wear black. Or at least the couple of ones I've seen do. His face was narrower than the others, and he didn't hold himself up as confidently. He was thinner too. His body wasn't as built. He appeared to look tired I thought startled.

"I don't see what you think is funny," I reworded my statement. Silence past for a few minutes as I started to eat my food. I wanted to dump the food on the floor and demand to be let go, but I already had a plan. I wasn't going to starve myself if I needed all my strength to escape.

"How is the food?"

"I've never had the combination before, but it's good," I replied as I took another bite.

"I miss eating. Those were my favorite foods when I was human. It is hard to remember what it tastes like."

"Well aren't you just jealous then?" I said as I took a bite.

"That I am," he replied. He watched me for a few minutes, and I tried not to think about how freaking hot the vampires I have seen are, including the one sitting across from me. That's not an easy thing to do, especially when you're trying to hate them.

"Zane hasn't laughed like that in years. You amuse him. That is very dangerous." His voice seemed serious. I glanced up to find his face very calm and staring at me. It suddenly annoyed me. Whose side was he on?

"I'm sorry, but why do you care?" I saw a flash of what looked like anger skip across his eyes turning them darker. A light smirk slipped onto his face.

"You are so bold with your words. Keeping them contained will keep you alive." I jumped a little startled and looked across the table toward the new speaker. Another person had moved up to our table without my noticing.

"Torture," Revenge greeted the mysterious vampire. His black hair was tied at the back of his neck. He was tall, and his huge muscles pressed against his shirt. Torture's eyes caught mine, and I stared into eyes of shadowed gray. I didn't back down. I kept staring at him. I couldn't believe we were really having a stare off.

"I care," My eyes snapped away from Torture's and were led to Revenge's who was answering my question. "because I feel pain. I should believe I'm a little sympathetic to your kind then." I paused with my fork half raised to my mouth. Maybe he had lost someone. My family. I needed to check on them. I needed to make sure they're ok. I wanted to go back to them. I put the fork in my mouth and chewed the pancakes. It was night time I believed. I looked at the clock on the wall that read ten thirty two. I decided to have a little trust in Revenge. I wanted to get him alone to talk to him about getting home.

A scream ripped through the calmness of the cafeteria. A door, from what I assumed was the kitchen, snapped open. A girl that looked to be twenty was getting dragged out by two strong men. Their face expressions showed no sign of any emotions. The girl was tall and very pretty. Her blonde hair fell to her waist. Tears fell from her eyes fast, and her face was red with distress.

"Please!" she cried. "Please! I won't do it again! I promise! I swear!" Her strangled voice echoed into the room. The others in the cafeteria peered up from their food with mixed expressions. The only human boy in the cafeteria had small tears falling onto his clear face, but he didn't dare look up. The girl with the scar looked back down as if nothing was happening. There were only two other vampires in the room besides Torture and Revenge. They hadn't even glanced up at all.

"Please!" Her feet dragged on the ground. I looked over at Revenge who had an uneasy scowl on his face, and then turned to Torture. Oddly, I realized Torture was watching me.

"Are you guys going to do anything about that?" I asked angrily. Torture shrugged.

"She has done this to herself. She was the one who decided to try and escape." My body froze up.

"So what's going to happen to her?" I asked.

"She will die," Torture answered as he watched my face. I swallowed.

"And this doesn't bother you?" I asked incredulously.

"Why should it?" Torture gave me a devious look.

I stood up, and my chair screeched drawing the attention in the room to me. Nervousness made my heart quicken. Eyes landed on my body as I marched over to the two vampires who were dragging the girl to the exit. They were moving slow, I realized. They wanted to make this a show. I'll give them a show.

I stood in front of them. They stood easily past six feet tall. They both wore the same tight black T-shirt and dark jeans. They stopped when they became aware of me standing in their way. I took a deep breath, and I was about to speak when a cold hand clipped over my mouth. My first instinct was to bite, but that got me nothing but trouble the first time I did that. So instead, I just let my whole body freeze. A strong arm pulled my waist out of the path of the two vampires dragging the screaming girl.

"Continue on," Torture's low voice said from behind me. The two started to walk again, and Torture didn't let me go until the girls pleading screams faded away.

"Why did you do that?" I asked with my teeth clenched together.

"I would not like Zane to be displeased with your death," he answered in a murmur.

"Which leads me to the reason I came down here in the first place, Zane has requested your presence now." I think my heart had skipped a beat when Torture said that.

"Well I'm hungry," I announced as I walked back to the table where Revenge, who looked a little paler than before, sat. "So Mr. Kidnapper can wait." I sat down and took another bite of my food. I felt every single eye in the cafeteria watching me. I looked down at my bare feet as I ate. I really needed shoes.

**Hello! I wasn't sure what direction exactly to take this story, but this is where it ended up! What do you all think? I have a plot already made, so my updates should be quick!**

***Story Question***

**If you had a super power, what would it be?**

**-I wish I had teleportation. There are so many places I wish I could go or be.**

********Review Responses********

**AppleCrumblePerson-** Hello! :) Thank you so much for your review! I'm so happy that you have enjoyed it so far! Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter as well!

**rubiediamond- ** ahaha! I know exactly what you mean! Whenever I work on this story, I always think about ice cream, and ice cream ALWAYS sounds good. I will try to keep this story as interesting as I can! Thanks for your review! :)

**1SouthernBelle-** Hey! I'm glad you liked the first chapter! Hopefully you liked this one too! Haha Coconut? That's interesting! I'm going to have to try that sometime! Thank you for your lovely review! :)

**Adriane-** Thanks so much for your review! Wow! You got the chills? That makes me feel awesome! That makes me feel great about my writing! :) haha It makes me happy to hear that you loved it! Rocky Road! Nice, you can never go wrong with that!

**guest- ** Hello there! I hope you're able to read this and know it's you since you name is just 'guest' haha. Ah! Thanks for saying it's amazing! I hope you think that about the rest of this story too! Black Current? SOUNDS YUMMY! I'm going to Google it! Ahaha. Thanks for your nice review!

**AlexandraSterling41-** I made this update soon! Haha Thanks for your review and everything else! Reviews motivate me to write, so thank you!

**WOW! I got a lot of reviews! Thanks everyone! I'm going on vacation for the next few days, so I'll try to update as soon as I can when I get back! Oh, and btw my favorite Ice Cream is Mississippi Mud ;) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three **

Fuzzy. Fuzzy. The whole wide world is fuzzy.

"..so if we set up motion sensors…" Sounds made its way into my ears warped. My head felt light, and my eyes felt heavy. I tried to remember something or anything. I was lying down on my left side. All I could think about was how fuzzy it was. I could only see the shapes of objects, and their colors blurred together with the other objects around them.

"Is fuzzy," I said as I stretched my right hand in front of my face. My pale hand looked like a blob.

"Human?" A voice seemed to whisper at me. For some reason I found this funny. I let out a giggle. "Who's there?" I whispered as I stared at a happy looking green blur somewhere in the distance.

"It is Revenge. You do remember me right?" My heart jolted, and I sat up quickly.

"Sounds like something," I said confusingly. The shapes around me were starting to get better.

"Your family's ok." The cool breath on my ear made me laugh again. My family is okay! For some odd reason that made me feel extremely giddy. Why wouldn't my family be okay?

"Human, are you feeling well?" That was just hilarious because I was absolutely well! I was perfect. The blended colors in my vision started to separate.

"Everything is going back," I told whoever was listening to me.

"That is very good. I was starting to worry. I think you will be a little upset with me."

"Rev, why are you talking to the human in that way?" A foreign voice made my head jerk in the direction I thought it was coming from.

"I was starting to worry that I had killed her. You should see Zane around her. He's… different." I turned my head back to this voice. I saw an outline of black. My hand reached up in that direction, and I brushed against something smooth.

"She is petting you." I didn't like that foreign voice.

"I'm aware of that. Human, will you please stop touching my hair?" Underneath the black was a pale tan shape. Ohhh pretty silver!

"That would be my eye." A small laugh entered my ears at a more normal volume. My hands were gently drawn away from whoever was in front of me.

"Just relax for a few moments." I sat there for a couple minutes with my hands at my sides. I was focusing on the green blur I had been staring at before. My eyes started to piece the objects back together. Ah ha! The green blur was a punching bag swinging back and forth. I looked at the dark blue wrestling mat. This was familiar to me, and I just couldn't figure out why.

"How are you doing?" My head snapped to the figure who was sitting next to me.

"Who are you?" I asked as my mind went in circles.

"Revenge, you met me earlier today." My mind was dizzy as it searched for information. I jerked back when certain events came back into my mind.

"My family?" I whispered at his there image that was getting better by the second.

"As I said before they are okay. Let's keep that a secret though." I threw my arms out in his general direction for a hug. He let out a small sigh as I crashed into his body. I was removed from him within the first second.

"It seems like the human is attached to you."

"Fade, would you please help me stand her up?" Two strong pairs of hands latched on to each one of my arms.

"Why would you think to bring her to the training room anyhow?" Fade asked.

"It had worked for Zane." I watched the white tiles as I shuffled, and I leaned my weight on the two vampires supporting me. The tiles had little gray specks on them.

"What are you doing with Zane's human?" My head snapped up to the distant voice. His face was clam, and his hair was tied back. I know him! I thought to myself.

"Well, I had some trouble trying to keep her contained, Torture," Revenge answered next to me. "She was endangering herself."

"And how did she manage that?"

"I told her to stop attempting what she called 'plan A', and she did not listen." Ohhh, plan A! Something clicked in my mind. Then I remembered. Plan A- try to run. There was silence for a couple of seconds.

"Why is she in such poor condition?"

"Her attempts on escaping were really starting to be noticed. While she was struggling as I was holding her back, it occurred to me that I had a sample of that new serum still in my pocket. So I injected her with it. It seemed completely harmless at the time. I was expecting her to wake up sooner, but it's been a few hours."

"Rev, it has been five hours. That had been a dose for a vampire. Not a mere human," Fade said beside me.

"Oh," came the weak reply from Revenge.

"Zane has asked about her twice in the last hour. I was just coming to find you. He seems distracted."

"Do you guys see all those gray dots bouncing?" I said excitingly. The gray dots on the tile came off the floor and bouncing around the hall way.

"I'm afraid I have made a mistake." Revenge's voice seemed nervous.

"Don't be sad!" I practically yelled at him.

"We should get rid of her if she is distracting Zane," Fade whispered. That comment was met with silence.

"Fade, you should go to Dax, and see how he is getting along. Torture will take your spot."

"Revenge!" I said loudly as I got one of the best ideas ever.

"Why yes?" he answered as I felt Torture trade places with Fade. Torture's grip was stronger.

"We should blow a hole in the wall so we can escape!" A small sound of laughter startled me as I looked over at Torture.

"Where is our destination?"

"The cells," Revenge answered softly.

"Let me carry the human." Torture's voice was low, but it had an edge to it that made it strong.

"I can do it." Revenge's reply was a little angry.

"I did not say you could not, but I said that I would." My legs were off the floor with dizzying speed. Solid arms were wrapped around me. The pace we were going at was fast. Soon I found myself staring up at the ceiling. I was watching the many yellow suns on the ceiling. One sun would fade, then another one would come up bright only to fade away once again. I let my eyes close. I felt happy.

**I **remembered absolutely everything, and I was furious. I had been purposefully knocked out by two different vampires. Purposefully! It wasn't like I was some toy they could turn off and on at their will! I turned my head slowly as the pounding inside my head grew worse.

"So sleeping beauty awakens." I glanced at the unfamiliar guy sitting on the ground a few feet away from where I was laying down on the very uncomfortable bed. His dark blond hair was not short, nor was it long. His eyes matched his gray sweater.

"Where are they?" I asked sleepily.

"It's nice to meet you too. The names Dax. What's your name?" I sat up slowly. I didn't know whether to be mad at him for ignoring my question or happy that someone had finally asked my name.

"Blair."

"Well, Blair it's very nice to meet you. You get to hang out with me. You do know what this means right?" His voice was cheerful. It was a nice change from all the serious vampires around here. I decided I liked him.

"I don't know what this means. Enlighten me, Chosen One." He disappeared from the spot on the ground, and before a second passed he was sitting next to me on the bed. He whispered in my ear.

"It means you're lucky." He sat back with a smile building on his face.

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm funny, hot, and caring. I'm the complete package. All females in their right mind would give up anything to be with me."

"Does that make me crazy?"

"Oh, ouch! rejection?" He put a hand over his heart. "You sadist." I smiled at him. That's when I finally decided to look around at my surroundings. I was in a cage. I was in a flipping cage. I was sitting on a bed. A small night stand sat beside the bed with a few drawers. The ground was smooth cement. The metal bars made me feel like a prisoner. The smile left my face.

"That's it! Where is he!" I stood up, and I walked over to the metal bars. I peered out of them to find a long hallway. Across from me was another cell. I peered across it at the figure inside of it. Dax was suddenly beside me. My eyes wandered away from the figure as I glanced at Dax.

"Where is who?"

"Zane! Where is that.. That ugghh!"

"He sent me down to look after you. He said he would be gone for a-"

"Go tell him to come here! This instant!" My heart jerked when I turned around and faced toward the outside of the cell.

"My human." His hand was through the bars and his fingers ran across the side of my face. Mine. I stared into Zane's blue eyes for a while. I jerked away from his touch, and I would have tripped if Dax hadn't put an arm around my waist to steady me. He is not mine! I tried telling myself.

"Dax, I do not believe I like you touching her. It makes me want to…I do not know. I suppose it makes me want to kill you." Dax was on the other side of the cell when I looked back at him. It was a little hard to be mad at Zane when he was standing right next to me. I just wanted to run my fingers through his silver hair. Mine. I swallowed.

"Where's Revenge?" I asked suddenly. At least maybe I could actually find it in me to yell at him.

"I thought it was me who you wanted. I heard you call for me." I needed a few seconds to just regain my thoughts.

"Just hold on one second." I turned around, and I faced the back of the cell. Just looking at him threw off my whole thinking pattern. I took deep breaths, and I prepared myself. When I turned to face Zane again I kept my eyes on the floor.

"Why am I in a cage!" My eyes flew to his as I finished my statement. He had a smirk on his face. That made anger rise inside of me.

"It is a cell, my human. It's for your own good that you are here. It will help you bring less danger to yourself."

"I have never put myself in danger! You're the one bringing danger into my life."

"You had tried to escape just two days ago. That was not of my deciding. It was you who decided to take that action. I did not bring this 'danger' to your life. The punishment for the attempt of escape is death. I do not like the idea of that consequence applying to you. "

"I…wait. Two days ago?" I asked as I thought about the forty-eight hours I could have been using to plan a way out of here.

"Yes, you have been resting for a while now. I tried waking you a few times, even though the doctor told me he would not advise doing so…I had taken it upon me to check on this family of yours." My heart jolted. I thought Revenge had said something about them. He had said they were okay. At least, I thought he did. It could've been a dream? My hands felt like they were growing clammy. His silver hair shifted as he looked to the left. Five seconds later I heard footsteps echo down the hallway. His words took my attention away from whoever just walked in.

"They are all in good health." The breath I had been holding escaped my lips in a relieved sigh. My heart grew light. I felt like skipping around the room and laughing. Just before I was going to start, a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Zane," Revenge greeted as he stopped in front of my cage. His head turned, and his light silver eyes shifted to Dax's.

"Dax, you are wanted in the tech hall. There has been a breach on the software."

"Revenge," I said his name accusingly. I thought I saw a small worried look on his already troubled face.

"Ah, human, it's nice to see you are well." His head was tilted down, and he looked up at me as he said that. He reminded me of a little boy who had gotten in trouble. A small smirk slipped onto his face.

"I need to get out of here. Open the…bars?" Dax said then turned to me.

"It was very nice to meet you Blair. I'm sure I'll see you later. We can hang out then." He winked at me as I heard Zane sigh impatiently. Dax reminded me of a regular teenager. I loved it. As soon as the bars shifted a little ways to the left to open I tried to quickly follow Dax. I ran into Zane's arm before I made it across the entrance way out of the cage.

"Human, the thought of you going out there and causing trouble to yourself makes me… It makes me…" Zane pressed a hand to the side of his head. I was sure Revenge, who was standing a few feet away, and Zane could hear my fast heartbeat. Vampires could do that right? I heard a small click of a door shutting down the hall as Dax disappeared. Zane turned quickly to look at Revenge.

"Rev, I do not know how to say this. I just do not want her to be at risk. I believe she should stay here." Revenge threw Zane an odd look. Silence fell into the room for a few moments.

"You're worried about her," Revenge whispered. Zane was taken aback by the comment. He took a step away and dropped his arm. There were butterflies in my stomach. Time seemed to slow down. I was annoyed with myself. I shouldn't feel like this. He kidnapped me!

"I'm not your pet." I crossed over the entrance of the cage and into the hallway. I stopped a safe distance away from the two vampires watching me intently. I didn't feel free. "You can't keep me in a cage."

"My human, do you not get it? You are whatever I say you are. I control you, and if you think you will never admit that fact you are wrong. There will be a point in time where it might save your little life."

"I'm never going to admit that, because I don't say things that aren't true." I shook my head as I walked in the general direction I thought the way out was.

"Human, where do you believe you are going?" Zane's voice was always controlled.

"Away from this gray depressing dungeon." I turned around. My eye caught the beautiful blue eyes of a girl who looked my age. She was in a cell like I had been. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a messy pony tail. Her stare seemed somewhat blank. Her eyes met mine, and it seemed as if she was at peace. As if she had accepted this fate. She was a dreamer. I could tell by the way her eyes sparkled when she saw me. I was human, and I was walking around free. It was if she was begging me to let her go, but she knew I never would.

"What is she doing here?" I found my voice as I sharply turned my head away from the girl, and I broke eye contact.

"We are of the Court of Radiance. Killing humans is somewhat considered rude, and there is no need for it as of the moment," Zane answered confusing me more.

"What he means is that she is in better condition than most vampires leave humans in. She will not lose her life here." Revenge came over to me, and he put his arm around my shoulder.

"Let's go, Human. You will feel better once you eat." My body did feel weak. That just ticked me off because all I have been doing is resting in an unconscious state or eating. I made a mental note myself to check into this human thing later.

"Rev, you do have that new dose, correct?" A small nod of Revenge's head proved that he did in fact have the new dose. If he thought he could drug me again he was wrong.

"My human, I will be seeing you at a later date." He stared at me in a way that made me nervous.

"Revenge, you will keep her out of a bad situation."

"Of course," Revenge replied. Then Zane was gone.

"He's such a fun guy to talk to," I said to Revenge as he hooked my arm in his, and we walked out of the dungeon. I knew that figuring out the blue print of the building was important for escape, but all I managed to do was find myself lost in hallways of white. I decided to save the mapping for a later date. I was too out of it to know which way we were going.

"So you drugged me."

"Not intentionally."

"Sticking a needle in me seems intentional. I mean you've got to know you're doing that. You can't just say 'oops I don't know how that needle got into my hand.'"

"You made it hard for me not to. The guards were just about ready to come over and take control of the situation. I would have never done it if I would have known a better way. I'll admit that you made me nervous. Zane doesn't take a liking to too many things. I was afraid of being the one he would be angry with. You're a hard human to watch."

"That's good. So does that mean I'm sneaky?" I asked with a smile.

"No. You are not at all sneaky. That's not the reason why it is hard to watch you. The problem is that you won't give up." I grinned as we stepped through the café doors.

"So you checked on my family."

"I thought I told you to keep that a secret."

"So I wasn't dreaming! You like me."

"I did not say-" I didn't let him finish his sentence.

"You know what, Revenge, I like you too." I watched his mouth close. We sat down at the closest table. There wasn't anyone in the café so I assumed it was sleep time. His silver blue eyes stared at me.

"What?" I asked as I brushed a hand across my cheek.

"I just am having a hard time figuring you out."

"Good luck with that."

"What would you like? I will go and get you something. I just remembered that they don't have servers during the day."

"Order me your second favorite foods," I said as I started to space out on the table.

"As you wish." He got up. He walked at a slow rate. I thought all vampires zoomed everywhere, but I guessed not then. I had to form different ways to get out of this mess. Plan A had failed. Now that I knew my family was okay, I felt less pressured. My foot was tapping on the ground. I ran my hand across the table, and I wondered at the texture. I pressed my hand against the table again. It looked like wood. Weird. I thought as I wonderingly brushed my hand over it again. It didn't feel as smooth.

"What are you doing to the table?" I twisted my head then looked up at Revenge. He set a tray on the table.

"Do you feel that?" I asked as I reached over the table and grabbed his wrist. His wrist was cold and fragile. I saw his body stiffen. His eyes weren't fully silver. There was a hint of blue in them that made them brighter. I smiled at him. I moved his hand against the table, and he relaxed.

"Do you feel that when I do that?"

"I don't think I-"

"It doesn't feel like a table." Revenge stared at me for a few moments.

"Your senses are probably going through a few changes from Zane's blood. They will go back to normal soon enough." This could help immensely!

"No, you are not going to change," Revenge answered before I could ask. My shoulders slumped. That eliminated plan B - turn into a vampire and fight my way out.

"Why is Zane so important anyways?"

"He is head of security here." The place was huge so I could see a need for security.

"Where exactly is 'here'?"

"You are in the Court of Radiance."

"What's that?"

"The court made up of vampires that still care about the worlds affairs. We pay some attention to other living things, and we try our best to make the world work with us in it. The Court of Shadows has a conflicting view. They do not care much about the world or give much care to other life forms. They just try and keep off the radar. The vampires in the Court of Shadows live how they want to live."

"So you're the good guys?"

"No, we are the better guys," Revenge answered with a fake smile. A small silence passed as I thought about this.

"So the girl down in the cages-"

"The girl in the cell gets everything that she needs provided to her."

"So… then she gives blood?" I asked. Revenge looked uncomfortable.

"We call them subjects, but yes that is the idea." I paused in thought for a while. Revenge still appeared to be a little off from that conversation, so I decided to change topics.

"So what's on the menu for today?" I peered down at the tray. There was pineapple, grapes, apples, blue berries, strawberries, and mangos on it.

"Fruit was always good," Revenge said as I ate the first grape. I took my time eating in silence as I calculated how long it would take me to get to the door. I probably wouldn't be able to beat Revenge, but was it worth a try?

"You're not going to try to escape again, right?" Revenge tilted his head at me.

"Where would you get that crazy idea?" I shifted my green eyes away from the door quickly.

"History does tend to repeat itself." His voice was soft when he spoke. His dark hair fell along his face like a curtain. His pale complexion made small dark circles around his eyes stand out.

"What is it?" he asked. I realized I was sitting there, and I was stupidly looking at him.

"You have…A fuzz there." I pointed to some random spot on his jacket. When he glanced down at the spot I had pointed at, I made my quick escape. It turned into plan C- Distraction! Then run. His hand was around my wrist after three steps.

"Please would you stop? You are going to hurt yourself if you keep doing this. We are kind to you here there is no reason that you have to escape."

"I don't see how-" My sentence was cut off when a small humming sound made its way towards us. I glanced around in confusion. The lights started slow turning off in pairs. That's where the humming sound is coming from! I thought. The next thing? Oh my gosh! The lights are turning off!

"Umm…Revenge?" I asked as I got a little closer to him. The lights ten feet away from us shut off.

"Get down!" Revenge's scream made me jerk down. I watched his hand go out in front of him, and to where I was just standing. A knife was suddenly in his hand.

"Did you just catch that!" I whisper screamed in astonishment. He dropped down next to me.

"Give me your hand," his murmur was soft. "And please do not let go." The lights above us switched off sending us into complete darkness.

**Hello everyone :) as always, I'd love to hear what you think! Review please? ;)**

**Fun review question**- If you had to survive on any one food for the rest of your life what would it be?

-I chose potatoes. I'm thinking about variety here. I mean how many different ways can you make a potato?

***Review Responses***

**Disnemm-** It makes me really happy to hear that you like it so far! :) Ah! I tried to keep it different from everyone elses, and I hope that stays consistent throughout the story! Between flying and breathing underwater… I like breathing under water better haha! That would be so interesting! Thank you for the lovely review!

**Krystal Lynn2-** Haha! You won't have to worry about her mentioning Twilight again! I have the next few chapters written and Twilight isn't mentioned at all! :) Thank you so much for your review! I always get really excited to see when I have one!

**megan9669-**Thanks for your review :) although it didn't say much, it still motivates me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**AlexandraSterling41-** I'm glad you enjoyed chapter two! I hope you liked this one just as much! :) Your review made me happy haha so thank you!

**1SouthernBelle-** ahaha! Thanks for your review! Funny that you had the giggles over the food combination :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much! Your review made my day!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

I tripped over that stupid little triangle thing you jam under the door to keep it open as we ran through a door that led into the kitchen. I didn't fall because squeezing Revenge's cold hand helped me keep my balance. I did stumble a little though, and my hip dug into the sharp edge of a corner. A small sigh of pain passed through my lips. Despite what I believe to be a life threatening injury, Revenge continued to unintentionally drag me behind him as we went to where ever it was he wanted to. Pots and pans hung above countertops, and they gleamed a little in the darkness. We took a sharp right, and Revenge's hand fell from mine. Gasping, I slowly came to a stop in the darkness. Revenge was opening a cabinet.

"What.. Are you.. Doing?" I said as I caught my breath.

"I believe our security system has been broken into. I am going to check for confirmation."

"You're going to find confirmation in a cabinet?"

"I have forgotten my cellular device. I don't really like it all that well. There should be something here…" Revenge said in a small whisper. I let out a sigh and turned around because I felt like someone was going to sneak up on us.

"Well, if Zane would have let me pack a few things before he kidnapped me I would have mine. Now we're going to-"

"Human, if you would be so kind to come here." I turned around and Revenge was standing next to a square hole in the ground.

"Ummm.. There's a square hole in the ground that wasn't there before." I glanced to see the island counter was now moved over. It must have been concealing the hole. That's why he was looking in a cabinet! He was looking for this… hole?

"I am aware of that. It is an escape tunnel. Now-Human! Get down!" His voice changed half way through his sentence. It got more distressed. Suddenly, his hand was on mine. It tightened around mine, and a sigh of pain past through my lips. His hand pulled my arm down and with it my body fell to the ground. His hand ripped away from my tight hold. When I looked up, Revenge was a couple of feet in front of me and had a sleek black gun in his hand. A man was running at him. Two smooth shots rang out down the hall as the man running at us sank to the ground. _He just shot someone!_ I thought as my breath caught. My heart sank. I scrambled to my feet.

Worriedly, I raced to the man Revenge had shot. My mind twirled. All I could think about was trying to keep everyone alive. I kneeled onto the ground next to his unmoving body. My clean hands darted down to the bloody mess on his shirt. I wasn't good at this type of stuff. All I knew was that I had to apply pressure to his wounds. I didn't know what else to do! I knew CPR, but I didn't think that was something I should do at the moment. Would that even help? I didn't think it would. I should check his pulse! Just as I was about to, Revenge's voice entered my moment of inner struggling.

"Human, what are you doing? We are not-" A grunt sounded behind me, and my head whipped around to see Revenge in battle with two more men. Not men, I realized with a start, but other vampires. I glanced down at the injured man I was putting pressure on. The man's eyes opened to reveal red colored eyes. Shots echoed from behind me.

"Everything is going to be fine!" I shouted down to him. His mouth opened showing his fangs. Everything happened so quickly. His hands came up and shoved my helping hands off him. While I was distracted, I was pushed roughly to the ground. My head snapped back and hit the tiled ground. The vampire jumped on top of me and held my wrists to the ground with his hands. I grunted as I tried freeing myself.

"I was trying to save you!" I yelled at him, but he didn't seem to be listening. His eyes glinted bright red in the darkness as he leaned down closer to me. I tried pulling away with all my strength.

"Stay down!" Revenge's sturdy voice called. I pressed myself as close to the ground as I could. Silver glinted a few inches in front of my eyes as a knife dug into the head of the vampire on top of me. I could only stare up at the vampire's blank face expression. The handle of the knife stuck out only a few inches above me. It had hit him right between the eyes. Dark red blood dripped down his face, and the first drop hit the ground. I shifted my weight. Within a few seconds his whole body turned to the side as he fell down.

I struggled to get out from underneath him in panic. Suddenly, gentle hands were under my arms and helped slide my body out from underneath the vampires. I staggered a little as I got to my feet. One of Revenge's smooth hands reached out and captured mine.

"Blair," His face looked oddly strained. "how are you feeling? I am sorry for all of this." I glanced down at my bloody hand that was in his. My hand was bloody.

"What's happening? And you…you're… I don't understand." I took a deep breath and tried to settle down. "Are…are they…" I glanced down at the three motionless bodies. My heart was pumping fast, and I had this dizzy feeling. My hands were shaky.

"They are not dead, if that was the intent of your question. My weapons are made of silver, and silver makes them extremely weak. It puts them in a dreamlike state for a couple of hours." His eyes shined brightly in the darkness. His hand reached down and pulled on a chain that was wrapped around one of the still vampire's neck. His hand came away with a small necklace. "They are not from this court, and they are newly turned," he said as he examined the necklace. "We are being attacked, but I do not recognize this symbol. For now they are stuck here, due to the silver in their bodies, and then they will be put on trial by the Court of Radiance." I stared at their still bodies and jumped when Revenge's cool hand took mine.

His hand was gentle on mine as he pulled me toward the hole in the ground.

"I will be right behind you as you go down. It should be safe down here. I will have to set the lock on this entrance, so pause on the sixth step on the ladder so I can lock it." Revenge pulled the door to the entrance down and when the lock clicked we continued down the ladder. It was dark. It would have been pitch black if it wasn't for the Christmas like bulbs that hung from the ceiling every ten meters. The floor of the underground tunnel was dirt. The ceiling and the sides of the walls I assumed were made of steal. The tunnel stretched a long ways; I couldn't see an end.

Sometimes, I would hear a thud that would make me look toward the ceiling of the tunnel. Revenge's posture was perfect, and every once and a while he would slow down and listen to the sounds around us. If I would start to stray a little too far, just inches from his body, his hand would pull me back in. I saw his lips briefly twitch into a reluctant smile as I strayed two inches away on purpose. I stuck my tongue out at him when he pulled me closer to him. It was supposed to ease the tension; instead, it just made me look at my bloody hand again. Chills ran through my body.

Revenge started to pull me toward the side of the tunnel. We stopped on the side.

"There should be an emergency supply spot somewhere in the wall," he whispered as he let go of my hand. His palm pressed against the wall. A click made my head turn toward Revenge. His palm had pressed against a part of the wall, and the pressure made a small square door the size of his hand pop out. He started grabbing objects from the safe like space.

"What is that?" I whispered to him as I watched him put something into his ear.

"An earpiece that connects me with the others," he answered.

"This is Revenge. What is the status?" Revenge said quietly. Revenge froze for a minute while he listened to whoever was on the other line.

"It is official that we have been breached then. I read one of their tags, but I did not recognize the symbol. Have any of you recognized it?"

"Yes. I am with the human," Revenge said into what looked like empty air. I was starting to get frustrated; I wanted to know what it was they were talking about too. I crossed my arms inpatient.

"Dax, let me know as soon as you secure the system. I am currently in the tunnels. I will run a search pattern."

"Would you please take my hand?" Revenge asked. I put my hand in his with my pulse racing. I didn't know what I was to this group of vampires any more. Was I nothing? Maybe I was something? Were they my enemies? I glanced at Revenge. His expression was challenging; it seemed like he was daring whoever was out in the darkness to step forward to battle. He protected me… He couldn't be my enemy, right?

"There should not be any others down here. These tunnels are set up strictly for escape purposes. They are not even on the blue print." Five minutes later, we walked around a corner to enter a different hallway; Revenge immediately ducked down. I think he forgot I was not skilled at all with being sneaky. When he ducked so suddenly, my arm was pulled down, this made my ankle twist under me. A small hiss of pain exited my lips, but that was all the sound the vampires up ahead needed to turn their heads toward us. I froze. I heard the familiar sound of a knife flying at me and hit the ground hard before Revenge had to say anything. I thought it must be from Zane's blood.

"Oh my gosh! Did you just see that? I dodged that knife!" I whispered to Revenge who sighed as he slowly straightened up from his crouch. His hand that was holding mine slowly let go. Revenge reached for something in his black jacket. He quickly turned back to me. His fingers patiently took my hand and wrapped it around a black object. My stomach twisted when I saw his hand leave, and I was holding the black gun from before.

"It has silver bullets," he announced as he pulled out sword from a sheath I couldn't see because in had been hidden under his long black coat. "Hide behind that corner." His head nodded to the corner we had just turned.

"I don't want to lea-"

"Please, Blair. I would not like to see you get hurt. You are fragile." I stood there for a few seconds. His silver eyes were pleading. I found the little bit of blue in them I had to search for to notice. I sighed. Obeying, I walked backwards and around the corner. My heart jerked as gun shots echoed through the hallway, so I peeked around the corner. Revenge's sword sliced right through one intruder's neck. His sword came away dripping blood. The vampire fell to his knees decapitated. Blood collected on the ground in the darkness like a puddle of oil. I gagged.

My heart beat picked up, and my palms started sweating. I started feeling dizzy again. I was just about to stop peaking around the corner when red eyes looked into my green ones. Our eye contact was short, but it was long enough for the vampire to come storming at me. I turned back around the corner and held the gun out where I knew he would be turning the corner. My breath was heavy.

He was too fast. I went to go pull the trigger, but the gun was smacked out of my hand. The crazed vampire was bald, and his eyes were the same bright red as the others. His hands came out and shoved me against the wall. My head cracked back against the corner of the wall; the sound of the impact echoed. I let out a pained groan. My eyes spotted the black gun a couple of feet away.

The vampire swung a knife down, but before it could fully dig into my arm I turned away. Heat built up on my arm as the blade skimmed across my arm and cut a little into my skin; I couldn't fully dodge it. The vampire's eyes went wide as he froze just inches in front of me. Confused, I backed away scrambling from him and snatched the gun from the ground. The vampire that had attacked me was still frozen. I stared at him. My finger felt the cool metal of the trigger. I couldn't do it. I couldn't harm another. I let air slide between my lips. The vampire didn't move.

The vampire dropped to the ground. Revenge was behind the vampire who had been attacking me. I looked at Revenge questioningly as he pulled out his sword with a sickening sound. That's why the vampire attacking me had been frozen; Revenge had already gotten to him. I looked at the destruction around us. Revenge had dark splotches on his clothes, which I could only assume was blood. Revenge didn't move. He just stayed standing in the same spot. I felt really dizzy.

"Well, that went well," I said as I glanced at the five bodies on the ground. Their images made me feel hopeless.

"It turns out that I'm good at this fighting stuff. Who wouldda known?" I gave Revenge a sarcastic smile. His smile was very weak, and then it disappeared altogether.

"You are bleeding." His voice was low. I looked at my arm. I was still in my fudging pink pajamas, which just made me feel gross. I've been in them for three days. My right sleeve was slashed open, and blood had soaked into the fabric.

"You think I might get a cool battle scar?" I asked as my body swayed. I backed up a couple inches to lean against the wall.

"I would like to think you will not." Revenge's steps toward me were slow. His hands clasped lightly onto my arm. A large slanted gash stretched from my shoulder to half way to my elbow. His eyes stayed on the wound for a while. I watched his face as he turned my arm from side to side. I was losing a lot of blood. I could feel it in my body. It was the weirdest feeling like life was leaving me.

"It does not appear to be dangerously deep." His hands stayed on my arm as his eyes slowly examined my body then met my eyes. The small blue tint in his eyes seemed to gleam slightly in the darkness. I opened my mouth to say something, but I hesitated then closed my mouth slowly. One of his hands stayed on my arm as the other one leisurely came up against my cheek. He paused there with his eyes still searching mine. His eyes snapped away as he put a small amount of pressure on my cheek. My head turned to the side. His hand carefully pushed my brown hair behind my ear. A soft sigh came from my lips as a throbbing pain danced in my head.

"Your head is bleeding."

"Well, then maybe I'm not so hard headed after all," I joked as Revenge slowly dropped his palm from my face.

"You haven't failed to surprise me," Revenge said as he kept hold of my arm instead of my hand. We started walking. My feet dragged in the dark hall way as Revenge led me to where ever it was we were going.

"Zane, she is perfectly well and in good health." My head turned up to Revenge with a questioning look. Then I realized he was on the earpiece. Zane. His name sent an electric current though my body.

"Zane, I promise you that I am looking after here. Stay on your task with the princess. You will be able to see her in the near future." Without a word Revenge reached down and swung me into his arms. I laid my head against his chest and felt safer than I had in the past few days. Happiness settled in my stomach knowing that Zane was okay.

"I do not think talking to her is a good idea at the moment. She is a little stressed with the images she has seen today." A frown on his face showed Revenge's distress. I reached my hand that was on my good arm up, and I pressed my palm against his chest. Revenge's eyes shifted toward me. I nodded my head. He handed the earpiece to me.

"Zane?" I asked after I arranged the piece into my ear. His voice came over strained.

"My human," he said as if relieved.

"How are you? If need be I will receive a replacement for my current location, and I will come to see that you are doing well." I laughed. How weird is it that the same man who was going to kill me was so concerned on my wellbeing?

"Yeah..umm.. You know I'm fine... not even a scratch on me," I said as I stared down at the blood welling up and falling in small drops from my arm and onto my bloody shirt.

"I feel the need to see you." _I do too_, I answered in my head. It was physically hurting me. I had anxiety and an ache somewhere inside of my chest. This stupid blood bond was not being nice. What is it with me? Stockholm syndrome. Just great. At least I could diagnose my disease and learn how to heal it. _Yeah, how are you going to do that?_ A very negative side of me said in my head. _Google? You'll just type in "how to get rid of Stockholm syndrome?"_

"I'm sure I'll get the displeasure of seeing you sometime soon," my voice came out defeated. My head hurt. I didn't feel like thinking. I heard a muffled sound which I assumed was a chuckle of laughter. I, of course, didn't see how he thought that was funny.

"I will see you somewhere in the near future, but as for now I have to go." And then he was gone. Revenge took the earpiece, and put it in his pocket. I was more exhausted than before. Talking had taken the small amount of energy left in me. Somehow we were out of the tunnels. I couldn't remember how we had gotten out.

Just as Revenge was about to open a door, the lights started flickering back on. We stepped into a room that reminded me of a waiting room at a dentist.

"She is injured," Revenge's voice was sturdy as he announced that into the half-filled room. Shocked humans looked at us with wide eyes. I could only imagine what we looked like. I glanced up at Revenge's face. A couple of smudges of blood were on the right side of his face. His black hair was clumped together in some places too with a sticky looking substance. The fabric on my arm was soaked in blood. My hands were smudged with blood. I looked around dizzily at the humans waiting patiently in their chairs. We were a bloody mess. Pun intended.

"Sir, if you would kindly wait-" A woman with curly amber colored hair spoke from behind a desk.

"I'm sorry, but I would like to refrain from taking your order. I do not believe waiting is in the best interest of her wellbeing."

"I see." The woman's brown eyes scanned the room as she got up.

"Please follow me." Revenge held me in his arms as he followed to woman to a door. My eyes stopped on a girl. Her blond hair wasn't what made me remember her; it was the scar that cut down her right eye to the top of her right lip. When she saw me give her a fleeting look, she smiled. Her smile disappeared as we stepped through the door and out of the waiting room.

**A** shower, a nap, a bandage, a few stitches, a splint, and a few staples in my head later, Revenge opened the door to his 'living quarters'. His 'living quarters' turned out to be what looked like a two bedroom apartment. I didn't even tour around his apartment, although I did notice that there were no windows. Revenge led me straight to the room I'd be staying in. I collapsed on the bed.

"I had them bring in this bed while you were at the doctor's."

"Ahhhh thank you," I said as I sank into the mattress and pulled the blankets over my head. When Revenge didn't answer I pulled the blankets back down and glanced at him. He was standing in the doorway to the room staring at the foot of the bed. It was amazing how much safer I felt with him around now that he had saved my life.

"What's up?" I asked in confusion. His hair was still a little damp from a shower. He was dressed in new clean clothes, but he had rolled his sweater sleeves up a little. Scratches covered the sides of his arms. I wanted to smack my head I felt so stupid. Why would I not think about Revenge being injured? I just assumed he would heal. You know what I blamed this on? Vampire books. They made vampires seem invincible. He glanced up to my question.

"I should be going now. Goodnight." He started to close the door and leave.

"Oh no you don't! Get back here!" I yelled as much as my tired voice could. His retreating form stopped and slowly turned.

"Do you have any bandages or peroxide…or stuff like that?"

"Yes. You do not have to worry about not having the supplies. I had someone bring some supplies down. They're in that drawer there." He pointed at a dresser on the other side of the room. I got up and opened the drawer with my left hand. My right arm was in a splint. I grabbed a bottle of peroxide, a couple of washcloths, and Band-Aids all in one hand. That's skill. I sat back down on the side of the bed.

"Come here." I patted the spot on the bed next to me. He gave me a confused expression as he slowly walked into the room. When he sat down next to me, my left hand reached out and grabbed his arm. He flinched at the contact and then went incredibly still. I turned his arm over.

"Why didn't you say anything about being hurt?" I said softly.

"I will heal." His voice was a small whisper.

"I'm going to heal too."

"You are going to heal at a slow rate. In an hour or so my wounds will be completely healed." He started to move his pale arm away from me.

"Well.. We should at least bandage the worst of them. You don't look so well." He became motionless again. "Please? It'll make me feel better." His eyes flickered over me as if he were going to find the answer to some question taped somewhere on my body.

"You should take off your sweater." I couldn't help the small blush that appeared on my face when I said that.

"I just do not understand," he said quietly as his arm moved out of his sweater.

"Hmm?" I asked him with confusion plainly on my face. He took his sweater off then paused.

"Are you scared of me?"

"Why would I be scared of you? Oh, I guess there was that one time where you drugged me…that was just the other day, actually." I paused then glimpsed at his troubled expression again.

"I'm not afraid of you, Revenge."

"You have just seen what my kind can do…what they will do, yet you sit here and aid the same type of creature that has hurt you." I poured peroxide on the washcloth. There were small cuts all over his arms that were almost already gone. There was a gash as long as mine on the upper part of his arm, it was already a scab. I didn't care; it was still going to be bandaged. I almost laughed, but he was being so serious.

"Revenge, you're being super silly right now. You're not a creature." I watched his expression stay the same as I put peroxide on his cut.

"And I'm not afraid of you…because you're good. You're just good." I wrapped a white bandage around his arm.

"I am glad you think so, but many people would disagree with you." His face was turned away from me.

"And who would disagree with me?"

"The many people who have died by my hand." He fidgeted. He actually looked nervous. He shifted and was starting to get up.

"Hey! I'm not finished," I protested. The creaking of the door flying open made my head snap away from Revenge. My heart lifted and then dropped when I saw his angry expression.

"Rev, I would like you out now," his lips barely moved as he spoke those words.

"Zane, she is-" Revenge tried to object.

"Revenge, that was a command." In silence Revenge left the room. The small click of the door closing echoed in the space. He just stared at me for a moment.

"You lied to me." His silver blue eyes were iced over. I didn't know what to say so I just looked at him with my heart beating quickly in my chest.

"Do you feel it?" His voice dropped and became softer as he got closer to me.

"I don't-" He let out a irritated sigh.

"Something ties me to you. It is something I have never gone through in a long time. I feel as if I am connected to you. I get… I get frustrated because of you. Do you understand?"

"Oh, I understand. You are one of the most frustrating people I think I-"

"Do not make that mistake." His voice grew sharp.

"I am not a person, my human. I am not something that feels too much, and when I do feel the tiniest bit of anything I do not make the choice that my heart wants."

"You have a heart?" I said with a smile, only because I find it funny that the vampires I have read about always deny something about having a heart in the sense of emotions. A smile filters onto his face.

"You do not like to take things seriously."

"Life is short." I glanced up at his tilted head that I became used to. I believed he did that when he is trying to answer a question he has asked himself and he couldn't t quite figure it out.

"So it seems." His hand ran across my face. He grabbed my chin with a rough hand.

"Don't you dare lie to me again," he whispered into my ear. The chills slid down my body. I closed my eyes, and swallowed loudly. All I could think about was how easy it would be for him to snap my neck. Suddenly, his hand was gone, and my eyes opened to an empty room.

That night I dreamt of red eyes and pale fingers reaching out to touch me but never succeeding.

**Why hello there :) Thanks to everyone who reviews and reads! It truly does motivate me! **

**What was everyone's favorite part in this chapter?**

**- I like Revenge talking to Blair at the end :) I liked writing it haha.**

*****Review Responses*****

**1SouthernBelle****- **I love oatmeal! Haha and yeah, you can do a lot with it so that totally makes sense! It makes me happy to hear that you love it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! :D Flying or reading minds… reading minds would just be so interesting… but it might suck sometimes too… haha I can't choose between those two! They are both cool but for different reasons! Thanks so much for your review :) it means a lot to me!

**AlexandraSterling418-**Well this chapter sort of answered what happened with the lights! Someone broke in to The Court of Radiance :/ haha I've never tried fish! Lol I always get too scared to try it. I'm one of those really picky eaters. I hate being picky, but I just can't help it! Haha Thank you for your review! :D

**Krystal Lynn2**- YUM! Good choice! Deep dish is where it's at! Now I really want pizza! I actually LOVE review responses :) it's one of my favorite parts of writing because well…it's cool to know who is reading your story! And it's cool to hear what everyone thinks of it! :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it stayed interesting :) Thank you so much for your review! As I said, I love getting them! Haha

**dannyz-** Hello :) thank you for your review! I get raviolis every time I go to Olive Garden! Yum! Thanks for all your compliments too! :) they made me super happy! Ahhh! So glad you love it 3 I should be updating about once a week? I can't be absolutely positive with that but that's my guess!

**Tamika-**ahahahaha! :) I'm happy to hear you like it! Thanks for your review! I should be posting once a week, but that's just a guess! Haha thanks again!

**Thanks to everyone who favorites/alerts too!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

I stared down at the dress. It was a black. I guessed that it would probably reach mid-thigh, but there was no way I was going to find out. I was just attacked by vampires yesterday, and they wanted me to wear a dress? Who can move reasonably in a dress? That seemed like a horrible idea. I looked around the plain room in Revenges living quarters. The only furniture other than the bed was a wooden dresser on the other side of the room. The floors were a cherry colored wood. I pulled open the dresser drawer without a second thought. Revenge's clothes. I was five feet six inches. Revenge was six feet. That wasn't too much of a stretch…

I threw on a dark pair of jeans and the only shirt of his that wasn't blue or black. The forest green of the shirt matched my eyes. A brush sat next to the dress, and I ran it through my straight brown hair. I pulled the baggy pants up a little as I opened the door and stepped through to the hallway. About five feet down the hall on the right was another door. Smooth and quiet voices made me turn left down the hallway. I turned the corner into what appeared to be a living room.

I obviously had just interrupted a meeting of some sort. They were all leaned forward on couches around a glass table. Male eyes traced me up and down. I didn't feel like they were complete enemies anymore. They had saved my life. I recognized Dax immediately. His grin was wide enough that his teeth were showing. Revenge's lips twitched up into that smirk that was starting to become familiar. Torture looked at me with an annoyed expression. I didn't know one of the men that was sitting beside _him._ My heart clenched in my chest. His blue eyes met mine, and I nervously put my hands in my pockets then took them out. They were my enemies but not life and death enemies. They were my enemies because they were keeping me trapped.

"Interesting choice of clothing," Zane commented as he picked up a paper on the table and flipped it, so it was face down on the table. _Oh, we have some secretes over there…do we? _I thought as my eyes narrowed in on the papers.

"It was either this or the dress, and I can't move in a dress like-" His blue eyes were staring only inches away into my green ones. His hands came underneath my chin and jerked my head to the side.

"Ouch!" I complained weakly. The contact of his skin on mine made my heart jump in my chest. I'm sure everyone in the room could hear it, and if they couldn't they could definitely see the blush that tinted my cheeks. He pulled up bits of my hair to see where the staples went.

"How badly have you been damaged? It appears as if it has gotten worse." I did look worse. The bruises had all shown up.

"For the last time, stop treating me like I'm property. I'm hurt, not damaged," I sighed as I tried to push his hand away from my face. His hand didn't budge.

"Still in denial I see," he replied as his hand fell from my face. He stepped away from me, and I looked at all of the men who were all staring at me. All of the vampires in the room had long black coats on, which would be really funny to me if it weren't for the weapons they had hidden underneath.

"Well good morning everyone!" I said as I looked around the room with silver eyes staring at me. I think my energetic mood startled them.

"Mornin' Blair," Dax greeted me with a smile.

"Good morning," Revenge said, and I pranced over to Revenge and took the empty seat next to him on the tan leather couch. There was a second of silence before everyone started to talk again.

"The tunnels are not on the original blue prints, and not even the lower parts of the royal family know about the passages," Revenge said beside me. I guessed I had become a part of the meeting. I leaned back and tapped my fingers on the arm rest on the couch.

"What the question appears to be is how did this group get knowledge of the tunnels?" Zane started to pace around the living room while casually flipping a knife over and over again in his hand.

"They may have gotten it through the files that were sifted through on the web system," The man I didn't recognize spoke up. His hair was buzz-cut in a familiar style both of my brothers always had during the summers.

"Ummm… no. That would be impossible since the tunnel's map isn't saved on any of the computers. It isn't even mentioned," Dax had a frown on his face as he said that. A sigh passed between my lips; that made everyone snap their attention to me. I stood up and yawned.

"Let me just come out and say what I know all of you bright people are thinking but don't want to say. Someone who knew about the tunnels gave the blueprints or mentioned them to the enemy side," I said while rolling my eyes. The knife in Zane's hand stopped rotating.

"Everyone prepare for the next twenty four hours. My human, I would like to speak with you." Everyone started to stand up. While all of the others were distracted, I took Revenge's arm in my hand. Without asking, I pushed up the sleeve covering his arm. Any traces of the fight from yesterday had disappeared. I turned his arm over in my hand amazed. He had the same frozen look on his face that he had last night as he stared at his smooth skin I drifted my fingers over.

"Ah, you were right. I was just wasting my time last night, huh?" His frozen look melted away.

"That time wasn't wasted," he said in a small whisper. My attention was taken away from me as Zane's smooth voice entered the room.

"You all know your tasks, so we will meet in an hour's time at the exiting point. Except for you, Torture. You, of course, know what's expected." Everyone started to get up and start to walk toward the door.

"Well what's my task?" I asked with a disconnected feeling from the group. It's like life with my brothers. They never asked me if I wanted to play football too; they just assumed it. Fishing too. They think I don't want to do anything. My brothers. I was going to find a way home to them. I wondered who was making their lunches now that I was gone. Yes, I made my older brother his lunch for school. Zane threw a smile at me, and all of his perfect white teeth shined.

"You would not want these tasks, my human," Zane said as I watched Torture walk over to a sleek metal door. _Freedom! _I thought, but my hope diminished when I saw Revenge type a password into a key pad next to the door. _How am I ever going to get out of here in a windowless apartment and a secret code to open the door? _I thought.

"Rev, please go and see Barrett." I glanced over at Revenge and tried to figure out if that name was good or bad. His facial expression didn't change; it stayed blank. I shifted my eyes around the room after Revenge left, and it was only Zane and I.

"I do not think you are clever," were the first words out of his mouth. "I was purposefully leaving the group members to bring up the topic of a possible traitor, so I could have evaluated their reactions to the situation," Zane whispered as his blue eyes followed my fidgeting hands.

"Well I don't think you're very nice. Whatcha gonna do, ya know?"

"I am not supposed to be nice. I kill others," he answered as he began to walk toward the door. I followed a couple steps behind him. He said 'I kill others' as someone would say 'it's nice out today'.

"You don't care about everyone you've killed?" I asked with disbelief. The door let out a small beep after I failed to see the code Zane entered.

"My Human, what is it that you think I do?" We crossed the entrance to Revenge's and took a left down the hall. It looked like a standard apartment building hallway.

"You're head of security…" I said with a shrug of my shoulders. I had a constant grip on my pants to keep them from falling.

"And who was the one who told you that?"

"Revenge," I answered. Zane smirked.

"Ah, yes. Well leave it up to Revenge to make things appear more pleasing in comparison to reality," Zane said as he turned a corner.

"What are you talking about?" We stopped in front of a door.

"I'm an assassin." I stared at him with a frown.

"What?"

"I am one of the most skilled assassins the Court of Radiance has known."

"But..."

"And Revenge, Dax, Torture…all of the vampires you constantly see are all highly skilled assassins too. I lead them." My mouth stayed closed as we walked down the white hallway. They really needed some color. I found it hard to meet Zane's eyes again. Revenge killed to protect me. Did he kill for other reasons too?

"So you want me to answer the question to whether killing bothers me. No, it doesn't." I stayed silent as Zane entered a code to open a door. I had no idea where we were.

"Where are we?" I asked as we stepped over the entrance. The floors were wooden. The room was shaped like a 'L'. Furthest on the left, four high tech computers sat grouped together with one chair. A huge flat screen T.V. sat in front of a black leather couch a little ways away from the computers. On the right side, a long table sat with a map of some place on the wall next to it.

"Where you will be staying," he answered.

"What was wrong with staying with Revenge? He's a good roomy." I was constantly pulling up the baggy pants. His body moved in much the same way that Revenge's did. _They're both fighters_. I told myself as I followed his footsteps into the new space.

"I do not like you being close to Revenge." I rolled my eyes at his reply.

"And why's that?" I turned around when I heard a beep, and the door shut behind us. _Great, _I thought, _now I'm going to be trapped in a room. _I let out a sigh as I shifted my eyes back to my surroundings.

"Because," he shrugged, "you are mine." There was that word again. _Mine._ It was the word I found myself thinking over and over again whenever Zane was around.

"No, no, no. I'm not yours, and you are not mine," I said out loud as we stepped through the door way.

"Of course I'm not yours. That would imply a different relationship in which you would have control." Zane's voice was toned like he was just stating a simple fact. We passed the couches, and then the T.V. and kept on walking back into the apartment like space. It reminded me of Revenge's, but this was bigger. There were more doors in the hallway.

"I shouldn't have to tell you not to mention anything that was said in that meeting, correct?" I gave him an I'm-not-stupid-look. Zane stopped in front of the door and turned the silver handle. I stood still for a few seconds.

"Do you like this room?" Zane's iced blue eyes were watching me intently. My eyes widened. The bed was easily a king size. Bright neon colors lit up the room in a happiness that I loved. A flat screen TV sat in the top right hand corner of the room. The dressers were neon blue, and the ground had a neon pink rug. I had to force myself not to make my expression show any signs of me liking it. My room back at home had a bunch of neon in it. He cheated.

"You do know I'm not staying here," I said after a moment of silence.

"Of course you will." Zane's head turned, and then a beeping sound rang through the space; it was the door opening.

"Torture's here to take you to breakfast," Zane said as his eyes flickered over me. "and you should get rid of those clothes. There are clothes in your dresser." He turned and walked out of the room.

**"I** don't know what I want," I sang as Torture sat across from me. The café looked like nothing had happened yesterday. The only difference was the increased number of guards who walked around. It was also quieter, more people whispered. The whispers were full of death, and I tried to block the unwanted comments out.

"Torture, what was your favorite food?" I asked as I played with a strand of my hair. We were sitting down at the table, and since it was night time a server was waiting for me to fill my order. The server was human. Her eyes were brown, and her brown hair was pulled back in such a tight pony tail that the skin on her face looked pulled back.

"I ate what I had," he answered softly, not helping me at all. I stuck to some of Revenge's favorites.

"I'll have pancakes and fruit," I said. The server smiled and walked away.

"Why do you always look so serious?" I asked Torture after a long period of silence. His head turned to look down at me with a look that said 'what an inferior being' and then looked straight beyond me again.

"Why did the pony cough?" He turned his head to look at me again. His silver eyes held confusion in them.

"Cuz he was a little hoarse!" I finished the joke with a smile and a small giggle.

"Ha-ha. You get it?" I added when he didn't smile. Torture's lips seemed to twitch into a gesture that almost looked like a smirk. The almost smirk dropped off of his face when his eyes seemed to quickly flicker to somewhere behind me. I glanced over my shoulder only to find the café half-filled as it had been before.

"I will be back shortly," Torture said as he stood up with purpose and started to walk off. My eyes followed him until he stopped in front of two guards on the other side of the café. Five minutes later my food came. I hummed as I cut the pancakes.

"You're new." A tray slammed down from the other side of where I was seated. I glanced up surprised. My eyes were immediately drawn to the scar that cut from her right eye to the top of her right lip. Her blonde hair was back in a loose braid.

"I'm not new. Just visiting," I reworded. The word 'new' implied I was going to be old here at one point. I wasn't going to stay here.

"Don't worry it'll get better," she said loudly. I narrowed my eyes at her. I sighed. I was feeling a bit disheveled due to last night's fight. I froze when a sudden realization came to me. I wasn't sore. Zane's blood!

A tray slid onto the table smoothly forcing me to bring my eyes up again. The only human boy that I had seen there slid next to the girl opposite of me.

"Don't listen to Sarah, she's just jealous." His voice was surprisingly strong. For some reason, I thought it would be soft. His green eyes flickered around the room every couple of seconds fearful. It was like he was searching for a threat. His brown hair was cut short.

"Ah, I hate to admit it," Sarah took a bite of her corn then spoke once again. "But you're totally right, Josh. I am jealous of her."

"So what's your name?" Sarah asked me.

"Well everyone around here has been calling me Human, which to me sounds a little broad, but back home I just go by the name Blair." There was a moment of silence as I took my first bite.

"Don't you just hate them all?" I glanced at the smirk she held on her face as she looked toward Torture. For some reason it bothered me.

"Ummm…" I tried to think of the right way to answer my question. How was I supposed to say I hate them, but I don't at the same time?

"Uh Oh. You're hesitating. If you hesitate you're never going to get out of here."

"But you-"

"Yes. I'm still here, and I hesitated." She took a sip of her milk. I watched Josh's face next to her. His eyes were glued to his plate.

"It's how I got the scar. Apparently, I was to set an example." She rolled her eyes. Her face showed annoyance rather than fear. It was silent for a few seconds. When she spoke again, her voice was soft.

"But you want to know the truth?" Her eyes shifted away from mine and to her plate. "I'll never get out of here. I like my vampire too much. If I ever got the chance to leave, I would stop to look back. I'd hesitate again," her quiet voice broke off in a laugh. A frown formed on my face. She took a bite of her corn again.

"So, Blair, how did you end up with the bad ass vampires of this place?" I watched her eye brows raise expectantly waiting for my answer.

"Zane kidnapped me randomly," I said as I played with the little pieces of pancake left on my plate.

"Ah, Zane. At random too, huh? He doesn't really strike me as the human loving type. Next time you see him, you can thank him for my scar. After all, he was the one that ordered it to be done." My heart dropped, and for some odd reason I felt a sense of betrayal. I was upset. My mouth opened, but I didn't know what to say. I wanted to apologize, but it wasn't my fault. I was saved from saying anything when Josh spoke up.

"Where's your mark?" he asked as his eyes searched over me.

"Where's my what?" I said with confusion.

"Apparently your boys haven't claimed you," Sarah said beside me. A smirk started to form on her face. She brought her arm up and pointed to as slim silver bracelet on her wrist. The initials R.T. were engraved largely on the front.

"This," she said tinkering with the bracelet. "is a mark. It lets all of the other vampires around here know that you've been claimed by another. Without it, you're pretty much a free for all."

"I'm not going to be claimed because I'm not going to give someone the illusion that they have power over me. No, that's not happening," I said as I pushed my plate away from me.

"Now, if you would excuse me, I'm going to attempt plan D for escape." I got up slowly.

"Hey, Blair," Sarah called to me as I started to walk away. I turned around and faced her. "remember it'll get better." I walked across the café and actually managed to get to a door I've never been through before. I glanced over my shoulder to see Torture still in conversation with two guards. I smiled as I opened the door and found myself alone in a hall way.

The door swung shut behind me. Now that I was out, I didn't know what to do. I started to walk straight down the hall way and hope for the best. My footsteps came to a stop when I ran out of hallway. A large metal door blocked me from continuing down the hallway. I let a frustrated sigh through my lips. A key pad sat next to it. It needed a code.

"So, you're Zane's human." The voice came from behind me, and I jumped in surprise. My head turned quickly trying to find the owner of the voice. His blond hair brushed in front of his silver eyes. A light smirk tilted his lips into an interested smile.

"No," I answered as I pressed my back up against the wall. I tried not to show any emotions. I did feel intimidated, but I remembered Revenge telling me that the vampires at the court show a little respect for human life. So he wouldn't really hurt me, or he wouldn't kill me.

"So, you do not belong to Zane?" His voice held a confused note to it.

"I don't belong to any one," I replied as he got closer to me and leaned on the wall with one shoulder to face me.

"But in the future that could change." His smirk grew into a smile showing bright white teeth.

"No, I will never belong to anyone. I'm not an object. You vampires and owning humans," I muttered.

"I like your attitude. I'm guessing that's the reason Zane chose you." His eyes flashed over my body, and I had a very intense urge to back away. My arm injured and in a splint made me nervous. I wanted it free.

"Hmm..." he hummed as he got closer to me. His hand came up and touched a strand of my hair. I wasn't going to let him just touch me. My hand came up and slapped his hand away. Instead of getting mad, like I had expected, he laughed.

"What are you doing wandering the halls alone?" I thought about how to respond.

"I'm..umm…" My mind flashed to mental images of a girl locked behind metal bars.

"I.. I'm looking for the cells," I announced.

"Why would you want to go to the cells?" he asked with that smile still in place.

"Because I do," I said indifferent to what he thought.

"I'll show you the way. For a small price of course,"

"We'll walk and talk about it. I'm running low on time," I agreed, and he started walking. I didn't know how long I had before Torture noticed my absence. His hands reached out toward the key pad. He flashed me a smile as he slowly entered the code. He knew I could see the numbers he was entering. Three. One. Four. The door gave off the signature beep.

As soon as we passed through the door way, color struck my eyes. We turned left. The walls were a burgundy and there was beige carpet on the wider hallway's floor. Paintings hung every couple meters away, and rich chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

"This is one of the many main hallways. Different sections of the court branch off from the main halls," he answered my question without me having to ask.

"So, what's this price?" I questioned thinking of what he would possibly want from me.

"I get to own you," he said as he took a right into a smaller hallway. I memorized the way as we walked. The walls were white again. A huge wooden door sat at the end of the hall. We made our way to it.

"That's not possible," I replied as I stopped in my tracks.

"I don't see why it wouldn't be," he stated.

"I can," a recognizable voice entered the conversation. I turned around startled, and Torture held the same bored expression that always seemed to be plastered onto his face.

"Ah, hello, Torture," the man that was leading me said.

"Colten, leave," The man, now known as Colten, gave me a cool smirk before he left. When his figure fully disappeared from view Torture turned his back on me and started to walk the way we had come from.

"Umm… thanks, Torture," I called to him. His non-answer was unnerving. I fast walked to keep up with his retreating form.

"Even though, you know, I think I couldda handled it by myself back there." His whole body stopped after I said that. He rotated around to look at me.

"Do you have the slightest idea of what you are doing? Ever?" he asked me with annoyance in his silver eyes. I didn't have an answer.

"You are no longer in your human world. You walk around here like it's not dangerous, but it is. Every vampire that you meet, you should be scared of. You have no idea how weak you are to us."

"Revenge said that the Court of Radiance cares for human life and-"

"Revenge thinks everything out there is good, Blair. He sees what could potential be considered good, and he extends it. Rules are broken. Our kind isn't stable, so don't listen to everything that is said. A human is only two things in a vampires mind, a possession and a way to survive." I followed him silently to the café. We walked through the café and to the set of doors on the other side. We took an elevator down to a floor marked 'L'. We exited, and I recognized the hallway and Revenge's door. We past it and Torture entered the code to where I was staying. I walked in. When Torture left me to suffer in the room void of any possible contact with anyone or anything I sat and thought a lot. The computers and TVS needed a code in order to work. I had already tried three-one-four. It told me that if I guessed wrong one more time an alarm would go off. I thought about Zane most of the time. Was I really random? Or was there something more to me that made me his kidnap victim?

**Well hello there! So here is chapter five! Let me know what you think? I hope it's getting more interesting! **

**I-like-your-story-question**** -If your front yard could be made up of anything you want what would it be (it's instead of grass)? I was thinking boxes of chocolate, but then I realized how fun a trampoline front yard would be! Instead of grass just having trampoline.. Ahhh! Fun.**

**AlexandraSterling41-** Hello there! :) I'm glad you liked the Revenge/ Blair talk to! Haha so you are a Revenge/Blair fan? :D Thank you for leaving a review 3

**1SouthernBelle**- Hello again! Lol! Blair does make for a bad vampire semi-slayer though! As mentioned in the story, Revenge is a part of an elite assassin group, so he can hold his own! Zane does have his reasons for being so bipolar toward Blair. As for Zane showing up in the future….well there may be a point in time when Blair can't get rid of him ;) haha Yes, Zane is responsible for any important royal in the court of radiance. That could mean his assigns people to protect them, or that he does it himself. –And all of the royals are vampires. As for having a lot to learn… well I hope there will be tons of questions that need to be answered when you read! Cuz I like to keep things mysterious haha :) and thank you, as always, for your review! 3

**tvdtwilight101-** Hi! Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad that you like it so far! And that you like my characters! :) I've been working on characterization for a while, and I hope that I'm getting better at it!

**Tamike-** hey there! :) thank you for reviewing! Oh my gosh! You checked every day :)! I'm so happy you liked it so much!

** DJShayShayxx- **Well hello there! Thank you for all FOUR of your reviews! I loved that you reviewed on each chapter :) it made me feel special lol. Ahaha! I was amused by you yelling at Zane :D funny! But yeah, Zane can get really pushy! Thanks again for your reviews!

**Krystal Lynn2-** Ahhh! So happy to make your favorite story list :D I hope you continue to like it! Awww 3 thanks for complimenting me as a writer! That really does mean a lot to me! I devote so much time to writing! I think Stephenie Meyer is a good author too…. But The Host will always be 43183189 times better than Twilight. Thank you for your review!

**VaMpIr3 pRiNc3sS-** Hey :) I saw your review and got motivated to update! Haha so thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you're loving it! 3

**Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviews! **

**And alerts/ favorites! :) **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The beep of the door opening woke me up. My eyes flew open fast and landed on the digital clock next to the TV. The living room was dark; the glowing blue numbers lit up announcing the time of three p.m. I had fallen asleep on the tan leather couch. After Torture had left me alone, I had spent time on: the code, Zane, my family, whys, escape plans, how to twirl a pencil, school work unfinished, life without me, shooting paper balls into a trash can, Zane, more escape plans, how comfy the couch was, sleep.

I slowly lifted my head from the arm rest of the couch. I looked into the empty shadows of the dark living room. The couch crinkled as I shifted into a sitting position. Everything was still.

"Why are you on the couch, and not in your room?" My heart jumped at the familiar soft voice. I looked to the right to see Zane sitting on a single couch next to the one I had been laying on.

"Umm.. What are you doing here?" It was the only thing I could think to ask.

"Going to sleep, after all this is my space."  
"You put the room I'm staying in… in your apartment?"

"Your room in here ensures that you will not escape. I have heard you like to try and do that." I narrowed my eyes at his shadowed figure.

"Hmm…well I guess this goes with the whole 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer." I watched that smirk I saw so often grow. "Oh, and it's not my room; it's a room I'm staying in for the moment."

"I know you do not believe that."

"Believe what?"

"That I'm your enemy." Silence fell into the space. I watched his still frame. My heart rate went up.

"Why are you not in your room?"

"I... um... don't need a room for myself here. I'm protesting," I said with a smile. I smiled like an idiot when I lied. I was a horrible liar. The small smile died down a little when I realized it was a little true. I didn't want a room because it was something that sounded permanent. It was like I was giving in to life here. The whole truth? I was hoping someone would open the door, and I would somehow escape. I didn't know why I thought I could somehow sneak out of the door. I didn't want to miss the opportunity because I was unaware in a room far away.

"If you oppose so much to having a room of your own, we could always just share mine," he suggested. I let out a nervous laugh.

"I don't think I'll ever oppose that much," I objected. A small laugh left Zane's lips; a surprised jolt went through me. The way he acted was always so unpredictable. He got up. I got up too and stumbled on the pile of blank paper I had on the ground. I was using it to make paper balls to shoot in the trash can.

"I do not understand why you are always so… energetic and just...happy," Zane whispered to me as we trotted down the hallway of the apartment like space. He was walking me to my room. Apparently, he thought I was incapable to walk all by myself. My footsteps seemed loud and sloppy compared to his graceful walk.

"I am not always happy. I don't want to be by you. I'm not very happy," I replied rolling my eyes. "You forced me to leave my family." He twisted a knob of the door furthest from the entrance.

"Your safety was at risk." He stepped into the room with me. My eyes scanned over the space again. There was no window which makes sense considering we were in the basement. All of the neon colors glowed in the night.

"Zane?" I started with his name because I was so nervous to ask the question.

"What?"

"Why… I mean what's the real reason you took me?"

"I did not want you to be killed. It makes me very angry to think about that." The answer wasn't good enough.

"And why does that make you mad?" I barely spoke; my voice was so low.

"Because you…you…" He stared at me. He stared at me more. Energy ignited itself in the room. His blue eyes didn't shift away from my eyes until I spoke again. My eyes cast down to the floor.

"Please," I whispered, "take me home." I looked up to Zane. I watched him hold still. His silver hair just missed brushing into his eyes. He moved closer to me.

"I cannot. You know too much," His whisper was final. "I forget how much your kind values their family." His cold hand pressed against my cheek. Bumps rose on my arms. My heart beat pick up. My stomach did a small flip.

"When I do this your heart beat quickens," he whispered lowly. I didn't say anything. I just stood there stupidly wishing I would be angry with him. He took me. _To keep me safe! _I heard one half of me say. _Why weren't you safe in the first place?!_ The other side argued. His hand slid down my cheek and ran down my neck. I wanted to be afraid. He could take my life so quickly. I couldn't find the fear I wanted. Instead, I felt electric singe through my body from his hand. I pulled myself away from his energy. His hand fell slowly from me.

"You desire me, but you refuse me. Why is that?" I watched his eyes narrow. I don't answer. I waited for him to speak. He didn't.

"Because you're mean, and I know it's just this stupid bond," I said as I fake yawned; it turned into a real one.

"Wow, I'm tired," I said tensely as I turned away from him.

"You grow tired easily."

"Maybe you can stop talking to me like I'm inferior. It makes me upset."

"But you are, aren't you?" he asked achingly slowly as his lips brushed against my cheek. I closed my eyes. "Don't pretend like you are not."

The click of the door closing echoed in my ears as I opened my eyes again. He was really good at dramatic exits. Tingles still crawled down my back as I hopped into the comfy bed that resembled my imagination of soft clouds.

**R**evenge was just about to open the door. I smiled. The moment was perfect.

"Ah! Catch me I'm falling!" I was in the arms of Revenge before I finished my sentence. He had caught me.

"You know what this means right?" I smirked up at him. I found the blue tint in his silver eyes as he looked down at me. He hadn't let me go yet.

"No, I never know what anything you do means."

"It means I can trust you silly! What you just experienced was a trust fall." I looked down at his arms wrapped around me.

"I'm not falling anymore." He agreed and set me down. I straightened my bright blue shirt that actually fit. All of the clothes that were in the dresser in the _temporary_ room I was staying in fit perfectly. Revenge watched me with a questioning look on his face.

"Ok! Let's continue on to Dax's lair." I walked past Revenge and twisted the door knob Revenge was going to open before my trust fall. A red light lit up above the door, and I groaned as Revenge quickly entered the code. He held the door open, and I passed through.

Screens were everywhere. A team of ten people sat at desks and typed quickly on key boards. The walls had TV's lit up and working on them. I spotted Dax looking up at one of the many TV's.

"Dax!" I shouted in the busy room. Dax's silver eyes shifted away from the TV and found me.

"Hello there, beautiful," Dax said as he walked up to me and swung an arm around my shoulders.

"Hey, Rev," he added once he glanced past me. Revenge nodded his head in greeting.

"I've got to go to the trials now. I should be back in a couple of hours," Revenge said to us as his eyes rested on the side of me. With confusion I followed his eyes to my shoulder where Dax's hand rested. The confusion left my face as Dax spun me around. I let out a surprised laugh.

"Bye bye, Revenge!" I yelled as we walked over to a desk.

"I just need to finish a few things, and then we can go do whatever we want," he said as his hand fell from my shoulder.

"What few things?" I asked. My eyes followed up the wall and flickered around to the multiple images. They were security cameras.

"You're right, it's not important." His hand was back around my shoulders, and he started walking toward the door I had just come through.

"So, beautiful, what do you want to do today?"

"Well, we could… we could go outside," I said with excitement as I looked up at his laughing face.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," he replied as he opened the door for me.

"It was worth a try." I smiled as I walked into the hallway I had just come from. A sudden thought struck me.

"I have the best idea ever! Ok, so you know how everyone in the group is always so serious? Well, besides you…anyways, I have the perfect idea that might put some smiles on those grumpy faces."

**M**y back was pressed against the cold wall. The lights were shut off; darkness covered me in a silent blanket. I held the gun tightly in my hands. I tried to make my breathing silent; I was afraid of being heard. A small beep pressed itself into the air. My head snapped towards the left. The beep was the door opening and the signal. I aimed the gun in the direction I though was best. The lights spilled into the room, and my finger pressed down on the trigger.

Water shot into the air at everyone who just walked in. A laugh fell from my mouth as I glanced over at Zane, Revenge, the guy whose name I never knew, and Torture. They all stared at me in shock before a smile brushed onto Zane's face. Dax jumped up from behind the couch and was only able to hit Revenge's left shoulder; everyone else dodged it. The surprise attack was over; our advantage was gone.

My breath left my body in a rush as I hit the ground. I gasped as Zane's blue eyes looked down at me. Zane was on top of me. My heart thudded in my chest. I pressed myself closer into the wooden floor.

"Are you insane? I have a hurt hand and-"

"Do you really?" Zane interrupted as his hands reached over and snatched my arm. With a single jerk the splint came off of my arm. Impatiently, his hands skimmed over the smooth skin on my arm. I let out a surprised breath.

"How…" I trailed off shocked. A whisper in my ear made me shiver.

"You can thank me." His silver hair brushed against my cheek. How close he was made me feel secluded.

I laughed loud as a water balloon flew at Zane and hit him right in the face. Zane's face was serious when he looked over at a smiling Revenge who had another balloon in his hand. Zane was off of me fast.

"Dax! Retreat!" I yelled from the ground I was still laying on. Water from Zane's hit had gotten on me. Dax's hands were on my shoulders and pulling me off the ground. I snatched my squirt gun and turned around into a very unhappy Torture. I thought about it. Then water went pouring onto Torture's fitted black shirt from my gun. He didn't move at all. He just gave me a heavy stare.

"Ha-ha? I got you? You love me, so you would never hurt me," I said as I took mini steps back.

"I do not even like you too much." Torture's look of annoyance turned to anger as a spray of water hit him on his shoulder. I looked over at my savior- Dax.

"My love! Run as fast as you can!" Dax screamed. I ran to the room I was staying in and shut the door with a slam. I pressed my back against it. I closed my eyes. My breathing was fast. I sank to the floor. The air in my lungs completely drained as my eyes opened to see Revenge in front of me.

"Oh my gosh! You scared me! What are you doing in here?" Revenge sat against the side of the bed and smiled.

"I am hiding from Zane, and what are you doing here?" I gave him a mischievous look.

"Hiding from Torture," I said with heavy breaths. We sat there with grins on our faces and our chests rising and falling from escaping death. It was then I realized that Revenge shouldn't be struggling to catch his breath. His head was tilted to the side, and I could hear each labored breath he took. His black hair looked messy as it all cascaded down to the side and covered part of his eyes. I noticed again how much stronger the others looked compared to him. My eyes ran over his body.

"Hey, Revenge?" His head barely turned towards me.

"Yes?" he answered in a barely audible mumble.

"Are you… well?" It felt weird reversing the roles. Usually he was the one asking me that. He looked fragile. He ignored my question.

"I wanted to talk to you," he said as his silver blue eyes looked into my green ones. I got up and walked over to him. I plopped down and sat beside him.

"This," His eyes dropped down to his hand, and I watch his hand come out of his pocket. "I wanted you to have this. I just…" His hand lifted up really slowly, and I held out my hand for whatever it was he wanted to give me. It hit my hand, and silver gleamed into my eyes. It was a ring. I twisted it around with my fingers.

"Is this a mark?" I asked with my heart beating faster.

"I do not like how you are always running around here with nothing to protect you all the time and I-"

"Revenge," I cut him off. Something was wrong. I could hear his breathing. "Something… are you alright?"

"I might…" His voice strained, and then his eyes closed and he leaned to the right then fell toward the ground.

"Zane!" I screamed as loud as I could as I ran my hand over Revenge's forehead. I felt the bond. I could sense him coming, and I could feel the stress he had in reaction to my call. He knew something had happened. I quickly shoved the mark in my pocket. He was bending down next to me in no time.

"What's happening?" I asked hurriedly.

"Dax, Torture, take Rev to Barrett." Revenge was being dragged off the floor in a matter of seconds before he collapsed. They both hurried with him and rushed out of the door. I turned to the guy I always now recognized but didn't know the name of.

"Look what this human is causing. She will not do us any good, Zane."

"I let you all speak freely to me. Do not over use that freedom, Fade," Zane answered as I remembered where I saw him first. He was the one who fought with Zane in the training room when I first came. I felt myself gravitate away from him and more toward Zane. Fade looked over us then turned and walked away. I watched Zane who stood still and looked at the wall. He was thinking about something important. He seemed to forget I was even there. His silver hair was damp in some spots and water clung to his clothing.

"Where's Revenge going? We should go see if he needs-"

"Rev will be fine. He has a bad reaction to silver."

"But he didn't react that badly before with silver it just-"

"My human, as I said, he will be fine." His voice was strong. I shied away from speaking again. He started to walk out of the room I was staying in. I followed him with fast steps.

"Wait! Where you going?"

"I have... Things to accomplish," he replied lazily. I realized that now was the perfect time.

"Ah! Catch me I'm falling!" I yelled then fell backward. I hit the ground with an audible crash. I rubbed my head with my hand then looked up at an amused Zane.

"Why didn't you catch me!" I angrily got up from the floor. He failed his trust fall.

"Why should I catch you when you are purposefully falling? You own actions receive their own consequences," he answered as his blue eyes flickered back to the door. The beep sounded after he entered the code too fast for my eyes to follow. He caught the door then looked beyond me.

"My space is a mess. I am not too happy about that." I searched the living room. The tan leather couch had water sprayed on it. The floor had puddles collecting on the wood. Dead water balloons littered the floor and furniture. The room with the map on the wall on the right looked much the same. His eyes meet mine and stared into mine for a long moment.

"I expect it to be clean when I get back." He hesitated then gave me a smirk as he stepped through the door way.

"What! Why does everyone always leave me!" I complained as I thought about being trapped in the emptiness of the Zane's apartment. The door clicked shut. _Weird._ I thought as my heart dropped. Him leaving felt weird. It was uncomfortable.

"Zane! I'm not Cinderella!" I screamed at the closed door. I groaned. Now I definitely couldn't go see Revenge. My hand reached in my pocket and pulled the ring out. It was a plain silver ring. It was slim and the initials L.G. were engraved in cursive. I slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly. I moved my hand around and let the lighting hit the surface of it. I thought about it then took the ring off with a sigh and shoved it back into my pocket.

**Hello there everyone! WOW! I know it has been a while :,( Hopefully you can jump right back into the story! Let me know if you have any suggestions for this chapter! Thank you all so much for reading! **

REVIEW RESPONSES

**Guest- Haha! You're plotting against Zane! Ah! Let's hope he makes the choices you want him to, or you're going to get him! Thanks for reviewing :) **

**twistergirl85- Hello there! I'm glad you're loving it! I love keeping the plot line a mystery too! It makes it so much fun to release major details. Thank you for your review! **

**1SouthernBelle- Hello :) well I guess this chapter is a little more of everyone clicking. WOW! I would want to visit your house if you had that as a front yard! It sounds beautiful! Thank you for this review and all of your others! I really enjoy them :)**

**AlexandraSterling41- Hi! :D Blair and Revenge are super… chill and caring for one another! It's cute! I. Know. Zane does get super jealous! Thank you for taking the time to give me a review! I love it! **

**VaMpIr3 pRiNc3sS- Hey there! Zane does get feisty and jealous! He can't help it. Lol! Your front yard as a mote? I love it! It would be like you were living in a castle! Haha Like your choice. Thank you for reviewing!**

**Sarah- Oh! Wow :) I'm so glad that you think this is one of the best! :D Maybe one day I will publish it! Or some other book for that matter! Thank you so much for your support! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the rest of the story! :) **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

I knocked on his door. A few seconds later, the door opened.

"Torture, will you go out with me?" His silver eyes looked down at me. His muscular body filled out the door frame.

"I do not understand you. I tell you multiple times that I do not like you, yet you insist on asking me this question of yours?" I reached up and put my hand on his cheek. He flinched under my touch. I gave him a warm smile.

"I know that secretly, you love me." He stared at me for second then reached over and peeled my hand off his face.

"I suggest you leave before I get annoyed."

"Dax!" I yelled excitingly, "you owe me three café trips!" I turned around, and I heard the door shut behind me. I skipped over to Dax as he stepped away from the corner he had been concealing himself behind. Dax lost the bet. He didn't think I would be able to go up to Torture and ask him out. Good thing I won too; I didn't think being a slave for three days would have been fun. I won room service. Even though I sometimes enjoy the café trips, it would be nice to get breakfast in bed.

"Anything for you," he said as he expertly caught my hand in his and started to walk down the hall way to Zane's. I looked down at his hand gripping mine and rolled my eyes.

"You're going to abandon me aren't you?" I asked as I took my hand out of his and crossed my arms.

"Why would you think that? I'm just going to be gone for I don't know… A few hours then we can do whatever-"

"You're abandoning me! Just say it," I groaned.

"I'm leaving you alone for no more than twelve hours and-"

"Twelve hours!" I protested when a sudden plan entered my mind.

"I have a good idea! You can let me stay in the café."

"Blair, your ideas aren't very good most of the time. They usually involve doing something stupid which I'm ok with if I'm there, but I won't be. So… no."

"But there are always guards there!" I pleaded. I hated sitting at Zane's doing absolutely nothing important, and I secretly had something I needed to do which involved going to the café.

"That doesn't make me feel any better. They're not going to put up with your escape plans and all of that. They'll just put you in a cell then wait for Zane to tell them what they should do with you…What plan are you on now anyways?" Dax asked.

"Plan J," I said with a frown. I wasn't doing very well. I was a long way from plan A. "and then we'll have no problem! Zane won't do anything." He wasn't buying it.

"Blair, Zane is just a little moody. One minute he can be your friend, the next moment he'll be killing you." I didn't want to resort to offering him this.

"If you let me stay in the café… I'll be your slave for three days." His hand grabbed mine and he turned around quickly.

"Deal. You can't try to escape though. If you do well…hmm… you have to be my slave for a week."

"I'm not going to escape, so don't plan on it." That was the truth.

**It **took two hours and seventeen minutes before Sarah walked into the café. Immediately, I grabbed the brownie I was picking at off the table and got up.

"Hi, Sarah!" I asked with a friendly smile on my face. I had to keep up with her fast pace.

"Hey, Blair, I see you're still alive and without a mark." Her eyes wandered around before she focused on me again.

"Right…" I answered as I thought about the ring Revenge had given me. It was in my pocket. "Well, I need to talk to you about something."

"What do you want?" she asked slowly. She threw her blonde hair over her shoulder as she sat down. The chair made a loud screeching noise as I sat down too.

"Well… I need to go see someone, and I don't know where they are in this building or whatever. All I have is the name of who he's with."

"And you're asking me this because?"

"Because I was hoping you would be able to help me find a certain vampire who could possibly help me… or if you knew anything about him."

"Go on," she said as she opened the can of her coke.

"His name is Colten." She laughed as she brought the drink up to her mouth. She took a sip then smiled. She waited a few seconds then spoke.

"That would be my vampire."

**A**n hour later, Colten sat across from me at a table in the café. His silver eyes looked at me with energy in them.

"So, Blair, I hear you would like to ask a favor of me." He leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smirk. I frowned at his much too pleased behavior. Sarah sat beside Colten and picked at her nails.

"Do you have any idea who Barrett is?" I whispered.

"The doctor?" he asked. That would make sense since Revenge had passed out and needed help. I wanted to go see him and make sure he was okay since Zane, Dax, and Torture weren't sharing any information about Revenge with me.

"I guess…all I know is his name. Do you know where he lives?"

"Of course I do." Talking paused for a minute.

"Will you take me to see him?" I asked and watched the smile on his face grow.

"Perhaps I will, but you should know that I do not do things without a price."

"If you take me out to see him… I will take a mark from you." Sarah's head snapped up, and she sent me a glare. She stopped picking at her nails.

"I would certainly love to," Colten replied.

Thirty minutes later, he entered the code. Three. One. Four. Beep. Open. It was the same door he took me too when I asked him to show me where the cells were. We took a right into the main hall. The colors of the main hall made me slightly happier. We walked a ways in silences. We came to another door with a code pad on it. This time Colten entered the code quickly. Beep. Open. I felt nervous walking in the halls.

"What are you doing?" A voice startled me, and I jumped a little. I turned my green eyes toward the voice. It was a guard. He was wearing a tight black shirt, a dark pair of jeans, and a symbol was on the top right hand side of his shirt. It was a red sun, and in the middle was a red dot. It looked like an eye and a sun all at once.

"Humans are not permitted to be in this sector."

"Ah, we were just going to the gathering. It seems it has been a while, and I might have lost my way," Colten spoke up beside me. The guard stared at him for a while then turned his back on us.

"Follow me, I will guide you to the right place," the guard said. I had no idea what a gathering was. We went back through the door we had just come from and walked past the three-one-four door. A slight hum started to enter my ears. A steady beat. I glanced up at Colten who had a small smile on his face. The hum grew louder; it was music. A code was entered into a door we stopped in front of. Beep.

The door opened to darkness and flashing lights. Music poured into my ears. Glasses clinked together, and people were dancing. Colten grabbed my hand and stepped through the doorway. I looked down at my yellow tank top and jean shorts. Everyone else was wearing dresses. The door shut behind us. Two guards stood on each side of the door. My eyes tried to survey the room, but the darkness kept the edges of the room invisible.

"Since we are already here…why not enjoy ourselves?" Colten whispered really close to my ear; if he was any further away, I wouldn't have been able to hear him.

"I don't have time for this!" I shouted as a pang went off in my chest. I realized that this maybe wasn't the smartest idea. I shouldn't have trusted Colten. My eyelids collapsed together from the flashing lights.

"There's always time." Colten smiled as he said that. I realized that indeed he did have a lot of time. I could only see the shining of his silver eyes and white teeth in the flash of the lights.

"Let me get you something to drink, and don't you try to stray too far. Without a mark someone could take you." He left without a second glance; I stayed by the door and the guards. The vibrations of the music shook my eardrums. I jerked away as a hand gripped the side of my body. The hand only gripped me tighter. I looked up into a dark and unfamiliar face.

"Here alone are we?" he asked as his silver eyes traced over my body.

"I would never come here alone," I said seriously. His hand ran down my arm then grabbed my hand. I let my hand go limp in his. I tried to pull away.

"There's no need for that," he said as I watched his headshake as a smirk crept onto his face. Suddenly, his gaze got intense.

"We are only going to have fun." I stared into his silver eyes. They were bright in the somewhat dark room. The music faded and his eyes take a hold of my thoughts. I was in the middle of pulling my hand away when I realized something. _We're just going to have fun…_I told myself as I stopped pulling away from him. Why wouldn't I want to have fun? I let his cold hand tow me in whatever direction he wanted to go. Everything was fine; we were just supposed to have fun. A tall brown haired woman walked by carrying a tray of drinks for the chaotic crowd. The vampire leading me stopped and turned to me with a drink in his hand.

"Here, you can drink this. It will make you feel better." _Wow! That would be great to feel better._ I thought as I reached for the glass he offered.

"Just drink the whole thing," he told me. I downed the glass as quickly as I could. It tasted wonderful. It was like a rainbow in a glass. There was a voice in the back of my head that asked me what the liquid was, but I ignored it. That voice was trying to ruin my fun.

"Now, we should dance," he said as his hand wrapped around my waist. Dancing did sound fun at the moment.

"Blair!" A hand grabbed my arm and yanked me away from the arm wrapped around my waist.

"What are you doing?" Colten's arm came around my shoulder, and he steered me away quickly. In his haste, I tripped over a girl's high-heeled foot.

"Having fun," I answered without really thinking about it.

"Having someone use mind control on you doesn't seem too fun. I told you to watch out for yourself, girl. You were just about to give yourself to one of the most powerful vampires in The Court of Radiance." His whisper in my ear made me flinch away. The lighting hit his blond hair, and it was shinny and pretty.

"I don't…" Everything started to get cloudy. I tripped over something again and looked up at a human girl. She was wearing a lot of makeup. She smiled as Colten pulled my arm and held me up. His cold mouth pressed against my ear.

"Blair, did you take anything from him. Did you take a drink?" His voice sounded so serious. I thought about it. The lights of all colors flicker around us.

"Yup! I think I did," I told him as I tried to reach for a glass on a close passing tray. I snatched it up while knocking over a few. I took a sip.

"Well, Blair, I am disappointed. You have ruined our night. We have to leave now."

"What, why?" I asked.

"I don't want to cause a fight because of you. The good news is that the drinks effects will wear off in a few minutes. " I caught an image out of the corner of my eye that made my whole head turn. His eyes glowed red and a girl tilted her neck towards him. I saw a flash of white teeth, but I lost the image as Colten pulled me forward.

The guards at the door wouldn't let us through.

"No drinks are allowed past this point," the guard said. Colten stole the drink from my hands. Beep. The doors opened. A sigh pressed through my lips. Colten dragged me across the doorway. I stumbled as I walked and squinted when the lights in the hall way sank into my eyes. The hallway stretched out until forever. I walked along and let Colten lead me.

I stopped. My eyes caught onto a door. The door was wooden, and I remembered it from somewhere.

"Wait," I whispered to Colten. I walked over to the door and placed my hand on it.

"Where does this door lead to?" I asked as I tried to pull it open. He laughed.

"Well, that leads to the cells," he answered. He lingered behind me.

'We should go in there," I stated.

"I suppose we could have a little time to ourselves," he answered. He brushed past my side and entered a code into the door. As soon as the door opened, I raced down the spiraling staircase it opened to. My footsteps slowed when I came to the bottom of the staircase. It looked like a jail. I walked down the first stretch of hallway. The light was dim, and most of the humans there were sleeping on the small beds. It made me feel horrible; I got a huge soft bed, and they got little uncomfortable ones. I knew that from experience.

I ran my hand against the cool metal of the bars as I walked. My footsteps seemed to echo in the much too quiet space.

"I don't like this," I whispered to no one particular. I stopped walking when my eyes caught onto someone familiar. Her back was straight as she sat up on the bed. Her blue eyes seemed void of reality. My hand dropped from the bars as I stared into her cell. She stared off straight beyond me, and into the cell behind me.

"What's your name?" I asked. My voice seemed loud. Her wide eyes flicker to me.

"One-one-two-five," she answered with a fragile voice. I frowned. Her blonde curly hair shifted as she turned towards me.

"I think he's dead." Her voice was soft as she looked beyond me again. My heart jumped in my chest.

"What are you talking about?" I asked her. Her thin arm lifted up in the air, and her finger pointed behind me.

"Him," she said quietly. I turned around and stared into the cell across from hers. His brown hair was longer and spread out against the floor like a web, and his pale face was tilted toward the floor. His lips were gapped open very slightly. His eyes were half-open and staring at the cold floor. His chest didn't move.

"They took too much," she said softly with her eyes tilted towards the dead boy.

"Too much…" I trailed off.

"Blood," she finished as her eyes flickered toward me. I felt a piercing in my heart.

"This has really been a lovely conversation, but I must speak with you, Blair." I had forgotten that Colten was beside me. I turned toward him slowly. My green eyes traced over his body and settled on his hands. In his rough hands, he held a necklace.

"The mark," I said then looked up into his gleaming silver eyes. My hands fell on my pockets, and I found the mark Revenge had given me. I wanted to go see Revenge today to make sure he was ok, and I wanted to give the mark back. I didn't want to ever be owned. I was in a bad situation, and I believed Revenge's mark would help. I pulled the ring out and slid it onto my finger. Colten started to take steps towards me. I took steps back.

"Oh, you've already received a mark? I didn't want to share you, but I guess there's really no choice now." His voice came out angry. His blond hair looked darker under the shaded lights. My foot hit against the bottom of the bars. I couldn't take any more steps; I had hit the dead person's cell. My back was pressed against the cold bars.

"I said that I would take your mark, not that I would wear it or keep it. We didn't even make it to Barrett's," I said with my voice strong.

"Well, I interpreted it so much differently." He paused half a foot in front of me. He held the necklace in the air.

"You will wear this mark." His hands came up to put the necklace around my neck. My hand automatically came up and swatted it away.

"No, I'm not wearing it." I began to get worried when a smile transformed onto his face.

"That is not an option." He tried again, but I slapped his arm away once more.

"I told you I'm not wearing it," I said. He stepped closer, and his hands wrapped around my wrists.

"I was trying to be gentle with you," his said calmly. I tried to jerk them out of his grip, but it was impossible. It became a struggle; I tried everything to get away from the necklace, but he was a vampire and so much stronger. Eventually, I felt the rough chain of the necklace slide onto my neck. I was afraid. My palms were starting to sweat, and my back pressed into the metal bars. As soon as the necklace hit my skin, he let go of my hands.

My hands immediately shot up and tried to pull the necklace off me. It was half way off my neck when pain pierced my cheek. My head snapped to the side as a slap echoed in the quiet hall of the cells. My shaking hand came up to touch the side of my cheek. My finger brushed the side of my lip. I stared down at the blood on my finger. A metallic taste fled into my mouth. A hand pulled on the back of my hair and forced my head up.

"I had warned you." I tried pushing against his body. Colten's hand came up and backhanded me again. My eyes stung. Blood pooled in my mouth; he had hit me much harder. My head jerked back by the grip he had on my hair on the back of my head. I let out a groan. I felt blood trickle down my lip.

"You will leave the necklace on." His voice pierced the air with authority. My hand came up to push him, but he caught it. The space between us became nonexistent as his lips brushed against my ear.

"Now, you are mine." His whisper skidded through my ears, and I tried to pull out of his grip. It was useless. Tears collected themselves in my eyes, but I didn't dare cry. His lips traced my skin as he dropped them down to my neck. I let out a groan as I tried to pull away.

"It will be better if you don't resist." His soft voice was against my neck. His hand still gripped the back of my hair. He pulled my head to the side. His red eyes caught my green ones, and he smirked. He glanced back down at my neck and lost eye contact with me. The sharp edges of his teeth hit the surface of my skin first. Without warning, pain swirled from my neck and into the rest of my body. I let out a pained sound as I tried to keep my eyes open. It hurt. Needles flew through my blood stream, and razors cut from the inside of my skin to get out. Pain. Pain. Pain. Numbness started to take over next. My vision started to go very blurry, and I was starting to forget what was happening. Slowly, calmness glided through my body, and I began to relax. It didn't hurt anymore.

A scream left my mouth. The hand on the back of my head was pulled away along with some strands of my hair. My body fell to the floor too weak to stand. Memories and realization flooded back to me. Colten was removed from me. My hands flew up to the wound on my neck. Blood seeped onto my fingers. I sat up against the wall in pain and gasping for breath.

I saw his eyes first. They tore right through me. His eyes weren't blue; his eyes were a threatening red. Anger was laced into his stare. His silver hair was in disarray and brushed into one of his eyes. His eyes said one thing _mine._ Our stares separated when he turned around. My eye site was still a little blurry, but I saw Colten on the cold floor. His body was perfectly still. Zane blurred over to him and lifted him up by the collar of his shirt with one hand. Colten's red eyes opened. Blood trickled down Colten's chin, and a smile spread onto his face.

"Zane, you can't kill me." Zane slammed Colten into the bars of a cell; the bars creaked from the blow. The sound of a sword coming out of a sheath filled the hall. Zane had a sword drawn out. I hadn't even seen him take it out the motion was too fast.

"I believe I can." And in one quick motion, Zane drew the blade through his neck with a sound so sickening I had to turn away. I turned my head away from the Zane and toward the ground. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing.

"My human…" His voice was gentle, which surprised me. I didn't look at him. He just killed. I was afraid of that fact. This group of vampires I was growing to really like were killers. It didn't matter if they protected me; they killed. It was hard for me to look at him after I had witnessed his instinct to kill.

"I am trying very hard to stay calm, but if you chose not to look at me I will be very angry." Slowly, I opened my eyes. I stared into the gray cement of the floor. I took a deep breath. My eyes drifted from the floor to his face. His eyes were still red. He took out a small knife, and I watched as he sliced into his wrist. I winced. His blood welled up from his skin. He dropped the knife in a clumsy motion, which was unusual for Zane.

"Drop your hand." I stared at him. I hesitated before I let my hand fall from my neck. He turned his bleeding wrist towards the ground and squeezed it with his other hand. Blood dripped into the palm of his hand. He stopped, and the hand with blood cupped onto my neck. I flinched.

"It will help you heal," he told me softly. He removed his hand, and my neck stopped bleeding. My hands came up shaking, and I took the necklace off with jerky motions. I let the necklace drop on the floor and pushed it away.

"It's… It's about time you got here," I said jokingly with a small smile. I must've said the wrong thing because he dropped his head.

"I could sense your confusion and pain. I just could not figure out where you were. The tracking that I have on you was clouded."

"Zane, it's ok. Thank you," I said with a smile.

"I almost failed." He pressed the words between his teeth.

"I wanted him to live longer. I wanted him to feel more pain, but then his eyes opened, and I could not stand seeing him alive." He got to his feet. I held onto the bar behind me with my right hand and let Zane hold my left hand to help me up.

Suddenly, his arms were wrapped around my waist. My heart slammed in my chest, and a nervous like pattern hit my stomach. _Mine. _The word echoed over and over again in my head, and for a moment, I almost believed it.

"I like this feeling," he said in a voice that sounded concentrated. I leaned against his chest for a while as my breathing slowed down. A loud sound made my back stiffen. My eye wandered down to the side of his arm a few inches from my face. He was pulling me to him. My hands came up and peeled his arms off me. Surprisingly, he didn't protest. I watched his hands drop to his sides. After a few moments, I glanced up and faced him. His expression looked down at me in amazement.

"Have you felt like this before?" His now blue eyes locked onto my green ones.

"I…I…" My throat felt closed off. His hand grabbed my left one again. A small zing went up my arm.

"Just the smallest touch and it has to be you." His voice quieted, and he turned his back to me. His silver hair shifted a little. He appeared to be more relaxed now.

"You know, of course, that you have been trespassing on grounds and you are not permitted to do so." I watched his back stiffen.

"I should take your life," he said then turned to face me. His blue eyes stared into mine. I let a smirk slide onto my lips.

"Been there, done that. You aren't going to kill me." I rolled my eyes. The smile fell off my face. Silence gathered into the hall.

"Zane… why is there so much death?" I asked him in a whisper.

"This boy, he died. Revenge told me that the humans are cared for down here."

"I just killed one of my own for a human life. The court could put me on trial, and they would if I were not who I am." His cold hand reached out and grabbed my right one. Electricity ran through the skin that he touched. He was touching me more than usual.

"My human…" He abruptly paused in what he was going to say and glanced down at my hand. Confused, I followed his glance. My eyes landed on the ring. It was the mark that Revenge had given me. I had forgotten I slipped it on.

"Revenge gave you this." I studied the initials L.G. that were engraved in cursive. Zane's back turned on me, and he dropped my hand. Whatever he was going to say previously was left unsaid.

"You better keep up. I am not slowing down for you," he said then started to walk toward the stairs I had entered through. I didn't look at the dead body of Colten. I could handle peaking at the boy. I couldn't handle glancing at Colten. His death was partially my fault. That was the difference.

**A**s I walked into the room I was staying in, a huge slam made me flinch. After Zane had seen Revenge's mark, his voice grew icy, and his motions were stiff. He did slow down for me though. He even helped me walk when he saw how weak I was. I was still a little dizzy.

I jumped and went limp as a fragile hand wrapped around my mouth.

"It is okay. It's Revenge." His voice was so soft. I relaxed when I recognized the tone of his words. He let his hand fall from my mouth, and I turned around and hugged him. His whole body tensed before he relaxed.

"What are you doing here? I was looking for you!" I whispered happy.

"Are you doing well?" he asked and pulled me away from the hug. I rolled my eyes. Zane had called the whole crew to update them on my status and command them to get someone to 'clean the mess in the cells'. I didn't know he had been talking to Revenge too.

"I'm fine. Zane put his blood on my neck, and it healed."

"He's strengthening the bond by doing that," Revenge whispered. There was silence then I looked down at my hand.

"Listen, Revenge, I can't take this mark from you. I don't want to be owned by anyone." I started to pull the smooth silver ring from my hand. His hand flew out and stopped my hand from taking it off.

"Human, I do not think you understand. I want you to be safe. Vampires usually respect if another vampire has marked a human. They won't harm a human if they're marked. From me, it doesn't mean 'I own you' it means… it means 'I care for you'." He brought his eyes up to meet mine. The blue in them looked brighter than usual. My eyes wandered down to his lips. He swiftly removed his hand from being on mine and took a step back. Whoa. I can't be a hundred percent sure, but I might just have thought about kissing a vampire.

"Revenge, what was wrong with you?" His silver blue eyes looked at me then looked away quickly. He didn't answer. Instead, he changed the topic.

"Human… I have been trying to find you for a couple hours. It's your mother… she isn't well." My heart sank.

**Hi there again everyone! Whatcha guys think? Ohhhh and I would love to know which character is everyone's favorite! So leave me a review, and let me know? :D **

**Disnemm-** hello there! :D Well… sorry for the long wait again! Haha but I'll try to get better at updating faster! Glad you liked the 6th chapter! I hope you enjoy this one as well! Thanks for your review!

**AlexandraSterling41**- Hi! Thank you for your review! And I know :( poor Revenge is right! You'll be finding out more about him in a few chapters I believe!

**1SouthernBelle**- Well hello there! I'm so happy it was your favorite chapter so far! It was my chapter that sort of changed the relationship of Blair VERSUS the assassin group to Blair WITH the assassin group! Made them able to joke around and now they have a more relaxed relationship! As for the relationship with Zane and Blair, their relationship will develop more throughout time. It'll just be a slower process! Thanks for reviewing all the time :)

- Hello! I'm sure you were happy to see Revenge in this chapter! :D You'll be learning about him more in a few chapters! Haha! Really hating on Zane, huh? You made me laugh :D I don't know if you'll ever see Torture smile! That would be a miracle! Happy you like Dax—he's one of the most clear characters for me to write. Thanks for reviewing!

**ZisisGirl23**- Thanks for reviewing! It makes me happy to hear that you like it so far! :) You know, I like the title too! I love ice cream! :D

**Tamika**- Ah! I'm sorry I didn't update soon again! I will try and be better about it! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**darkmoonlight11**- Wow! Thanks for all of your reviews and reading! :D I got really exciting getting them! Chocalate chip! Now I really really want some chocolate! :( I'm going to have to make a trip to the store sometime today now and grab some! Hehe… Blair's escape plans. She is not one to give up very easily! Glad you enjoyed the story so far!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight **

I sat beside one of the standing guards. Zane and all of the others had a surprise meeting, and he didn't have time to drop me off at his place. I ended up going with. I couldn't be in the meeting though, so I was sitting outside the double doors and waiting for it to end. I had tried to walk off down the hall, but the guard almost killed me. I stopped trying to escape.

Torture was the first one out of the meeting. He marched up to me, and I backed more into the wall intimidated by his large form.

"Stand up," he ordered in a very commanding voice.

"Excuse me? Who are you to tell me what-" He gave me a deadly stare. With a sigh I got to my feet. His hand shot out and grabbed my right wrist tightly.

"Ouch! You could have done that more gentle! I like having my hand! I don't need it amputated thank you very-"

"So he did," he said as I finally peaked at what he wanted my hand for. He was looking at the mark Revenge had given me. The simple silver ring was elegant. Torture's hand gripped onto my wrist tighter.

"Take this off, and you will regret it." His hand took out an object from his pocket. Before I knew it, he was dropping my wrist. My wrist had a new accessory.

"Oh no! Not you too!" The initials G.D. were engraved into the shiny silver bracelet.

"You don't even like me!" I whisper yelled as I glimpsed down at the mark Torture gave me.

"It is not just about you. Revenge is weakening. He may need my help, and I don't need that little ring he gave you to cause conflict with others." The stone I imagined on Torture's soul disappeared. He gave me a mark to back up Revenge's protection on me.

"Torture… what's wrong with Re-"

"Hellooooo, beautiful!" An arm came crashing down on my shoulders.

"Dax, you're going to break me one day if you keep insisting on doing that." My heart stopped as I glanced at the double doors that now stood open. The meeting had officially ended.

"Well, you are my slave, so I can do what I want." Dax's voice was playing mildly in the background. Zane was standing in the entrance with a breath taking beautiful woman. The dress she was in shimmered in the lighting. It was white and hugged to her body; it brushed against the floor. Her brown hair cascaded down her shoulders in beautiful spiral curls. On her head, she wore a shiny tiara. She tilted her head to the side and her soft pink lips smiled at him. Her eyes were brilliantly silver.

"Stop staring," Dax said lightly in my ear, "it's rude." I crossed my arms over my chest. I was so beyond caring. Zane was staring at her with a gentle smile on his lips. My insides tingled, and I knew I just didn't like her. Revenge showed up in the entrance way. He nodded toward the woman, and she smiled back politely. Zane stepped away so Revenge could get past them. His walk was slow as he made his way towards us.

"Dax, Human," he greeted us with a small smile. I looked beyond Revenge and at Zane. The woman had a hand placed lightly on his arm. The temperature in the hall got hotter. My hand fisted at my side.

"I would like to ask if I could talk to you alone." Revenge's smooth voice drifted over to me. I slowly drew my eyes away from Zane, and Revenge looked at me with a knowing expression.

"Hmmm… since I'm your slave owner… I say no." Dax smirked happy about his answer.

"You never said when the three days were, so technically…no you're not." I pushed his arm off my shoulders. I was not in a good mood.

"And it's a week not three days," he mentioned with a smooth voice.

"I wasn't trying to escape, so it's three days," I called back to him annoyed and angry because of Zane being in close proximity with that woman.

"Oh, really? What could you possibly have been doing then?"

"Looking for him." I pointed and walked to Revenge's side. He glanced at me with narrowed eyes.

"Revenge," I stood on my tiptoes to whisper, "help me, please. I'm feeling protective." I glanced over at Zane. Revenge threw a glance at Zane and the woman then concentrated on me again. I brought up my shaking hands. He was _mine._ I didn't like that woman touching him at all. Revenge's grip on my hand as he started to walk away. It _hurt_ to leave Zane like that. I felt angry at Revenge just because he was the one pulling me away.

"Your mother is not doing too well." His breath was close to my ear as we continued to walk where ever it was he led me. I was just trying to stay calm.

"Human," He stopped in the hall pulling me to a stop too. "I need you to promise me something." I glanced up at his silver blue eyes and watched him. He looked so weak. Something was wrong with him.

"I need you to tell me that you won't escape, no matter how easy or tempting it might be." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Because I am going to take you to see your mother, but I am not in-" My heart flew in my chest when I made contact with him and wrapped my arms around his stiff body. It was like this every time I touched him. He always froze up then melted.  
"Thank you," I whispered against his chest. Hesitatingly, his arms came up to wrap around me.

I was sitting in the backseat of a car. A blind fold covered my eyes in what Revenge called 'a safety precaution'. He was clever. Now, I couldn't see where we were going which meant I couldn't look for an escape route for another day. We were only an hour into a four hour drive. Sneaking out wasn't hard at all. All Revenge had to do was walk past all the guards with me, and they didn't say anything. Revenge blindfolded me when we go closer to an exit of the Court of Radiance. I could hear the faint sound of other cars passing us.

"What if someone sees me back here? You look very suspicious with a blind folded girl in the back seat…" I said with a disapproving voice.

"This car happens to have limo tints on the windows." His voice was playful. I had to think of something else. Five minutes later, I spoke again with a new idea.

"If I could take my blindfold off, we could make time in here better by playing the ABC game," I told him with a sneaky happy voice.

"Human, your obvious tricks are not going to work," he mentioned lightly. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"I guess I'm just going to have to use the not too obvious tricks then," I said with the stupid blindfold still covering my eyes. I promised I wouldn't take it off until he said so.

"I don't believe you have any of those," he replied with a laugh. I was shocked at his words. I didn't think I had ever heard him make fun of me in any sort of way.

"Revenge! You just made fun of me! You should feel terrible about your actions, and let me take off the blind fold." His soft laugh filled the empty car.

"It is not coming off, human." We sat in a silence that was very comfortable. Revenge was just comfortable to be around. I never felt like I had to entertain him, or fill the silence with noise. I leaned on the side of the car and started to drift off into dreams.

"Is the temperature ok?" he asked before the real world collapsed around me.

"Colder?" I mumbled. I heard the faint noise of the AC kicking in. Sleep took over.

"Human? Human?" Something soft dragged across my eyes. My eyes crinkled together then opened. Revenge's face stared down at me as the afternoon sun cast rays into the dark car. His pale face was streaked with a worn out presence. His face disappeared from above me. I sat up with a yawn and a small stretch.

"I got you this." His faint voice startled me. I skimmed my eyes over his hands. He held a black cap and a hair tie in one hand and a pair of sun glasses in the other.

"I'm going in disguised?" He nodded his head as I grabbed the objects from his hands.

"I don't know whether to feel super important or slightly annoyed." I gathered all of my brown hair together and twisted it back to pull my cap over it.

"Try the first one. It might make you happier." I pulled my sunglasses on then glanced over at Revenge. I watched his silver blue eyes stare at me, and his lips form a smile. With a clenching in my chest I realized that I really cared for him. His dark hair looked more tossed than usual.

"What is it?" He held out a hand to me, and I took it as I snapped out of the trance I'd been in.

"Why aren't you turning into ashes? Or sparkling… or I don't know?" I asked with confusion as the afternoon sun touched his pale skin. I scanned my brain trying to come up with answers. I couldn't find a good one.

"The sun just weakens me," he answered with an amused edge to his voice. I hopped down from the seat. I let my hand go slack and was going to pull my hand away from his, but his hand tightened on mine. Startled I threw a side way glance in his direction. Once he noticed my stare, he slightly tipped his head in my direction and smiled.

My attention snapped to the huge brown bricked building in front of me. The hospitals plain face sank into my memory. The automatic doors pushed away from each other and let us through. It was normal. It was so normal it scared me. People walked around freely, and for some reason it seemed odd to me. My norm had changed. The way I lived my life had changed.

"I already know of the room number," Revenge mentioned quietly at my side. We walked through hallways that were trying to look nice and positive but for some reason seemed dull and plain in my eyes. Small art statues would show up every now and again. Paintings of angels and the ocean showered the walls. I walked a few steps the jerked to a stop. I noticed that Revenge was behind me and not in step with me. His hand gripped mine tightly.

"I need to tell you something before you step into her room." His voice was quiet as he looked to the door behind me.

"Ok," I said with a nervous breath.

"Your mother has been drifting in and out of a conscious state. When you go in there, she may not be responsive." I squeezed his hand, and swallowed back fear.

"Ok," I said plainly.

"That's her room. I will wait out here for you." His eyes hit the door behind me, and his hand let mine go. I turned around slowly, afraid. I sat still as my hand hovered over the door knob. My feet swiveled around as I turned to face Revenge once again.

"Why are you doing this for me?" I asked in a rush of words. Silence.

"You have collided with my world, Blair." His voice saying my name sent a pang through my chest. "There is no backing out. You need to say your goodbyes. I never had the chance to say mine." His smiled turned sad. His eyes searched mine. I watched him in amazement. I never thought that this would happen. I never would have believed that I would fall so deep into this world or that I would care about the ones in it. I was satisfied with his answer, and my hands grabbed for the door handle. I twisted it and pulled it open a crack.

"Human," Revenge whispered, "I can only give you twenty minutes." I stepped into the dim room. My eyes fell on the top of the bed first. Her face had scratches on it, and a bandage was wrapped around her head. Her brown hair fell past her shoulders. A rack of IVs sat next to her bed and linked into her arm. A steady beat echoed into the quiet room. Her arm was in a brace of some kind, and her leg was too. Her body was covered in a blanket. My eyes locked onto her hand. A strong hand engulfed hers. I followed the hand up to the body.

He was holding his head with his other free hand. The chair he sat in was pulled up right next to the hospital bed. His eyes were closed, but a worried wrinkle appeared between his eyes. His brown hair was cropped short in a buzz cut. My eyes scanned the stubble growing on his face. I took more steps forward. I tripped over the other chair that was sitting a few feet away from the foot of the bed. My brother's head shifted a little in his hand. It was his elbow falling off of his knee, which made his hand fall, which made him drop his head that woke him up. He was lazy with his movements as his eyes opened. His eye lids only looked like they were open half way. He looked up at the ceiling then, as if sensing something was different, his green eyes snapped to me.

There was a long moment of silence and eye contact.

"Blair?" His deep voice sounded strained.

"Jason," I answered with my older brother's name. His eyes widened.

"Are you seriously here right now?" His disbelieving eyes wandered over me.

"I hope so," I answered with a small voice. The chair creaked from his weight as he pushed the chair back then got to his feet. My older brother was six feet two inches and a good one hundred and ninety pounds. He worked out at the gym every day for two hours. At least, he used to. I didn't know any more.

"What-where have you been?" He tripped over his words. I stared at his troubled expression.

"I um- I came to see mom," I said without answering the question. He stopped a few feet in front of me.

"Everyone was giving up hope, but I never did. I knew it. I'd go looking for you even when the town stopped the searches at night. I'd still go searching cuz they said you could've been dead, but I knew you weren't." He took the last few steps forward and wrapped his arms around me tightly. It was hard to breathe.

"I can't breathe!" I said in a small voice. His arms loosened and let go. His hand came up to ruffle my hair in a gesture I hated.

"Blair, you don't understand. Dillon he… he doesn't… we need you. I never even realized it really, but you're everywhere when you're nowhere." At the mention of my little brother's name my heart broke.

"Blair, what the hell happened? We need to go get the police and-" I stared into his green eyes that were darker than my own. My eyes shifted away from his and to my mom's still body.

"I'll tell you soon. We'll do all that later. For now, can I just hold moms hand?" Jason looked at me doubtfully then slowly nodded his head. My mom's hand was pale against the white of the blanket. I took the seat Jason was sitting in minutes ago. I sat down slowly, and I picked up her hand. It was soft in the worn out type of way. Her nails were plain which was unusual for my mom. She usually always had her nails painted. My eyes traced the edges of her face. Only a few wrinkles had collected on her face over the years. She looked younger than the thirty nine years she was.

"When did this happen to her?" I asked while I watched the screen beside her bed.

"Three days ago. She got into a horrible car accident. She was drinking, Blair. She was drinking, and I yelled at her because she was blaming herself for loosing you. Then she left with the car, and I tried to stop her I really did. I should've…I should've…" He didn't finish. I stared at her again. I missed her. I missed home. I missed everything, even my uneventful life. Her hand was limp in mine. Unresponsive. I sat in the silence of the room thinking about what I would be doing if I wasn't in the hands of vampires. I wondered if she would be here. I knew she wouldn't.

"Blair," Jason's voice held an angry note to it. "I need to know where you were."

"I want to tell you, Jason, but I just can't. If I told you…" I trailed off at the end.

"Tell me," he commanded as he grabbed my wrist.

"Jason…please don't do this," I whispered as I let go of my mom's hand. I knew my time was up. Revenge was waiting for me in the hall. I stood up with my brother's hand still squeezing my wrist.

"Do what? What the fuck am I doing?" he spoke through his clenched teeth. I didn't even hear the door open, but it had because Revenge was suddenly standing beside me. His hand gripped my free one.

"Who the fuck are you!" Jason yelled as he pulled me toward him. My hand jerked away from Revenges, and I went tumbling into my brother. Jason wrapped his arms around me protectively. I closed my eyes then put my arms on his chest and tried to push away. I was breaking inside.

"Jason, listen to me. This is my friend. I need you to let-"

"He looks like he's fucking twenty. Is this what happened? You left with some guy?" Revenge took a small step toward us with a hand up.

"Get the hell away man, I swear to God if you even think about touching her-"

"Jason, calm down!" I screamed.

"Human, we have to leave now." Revenge's smooth voice was relaxed.

"Jason, that's not what happened. I love you, but I can't stay." My words only made his grip on me tighter. His arms pushed me against his chest.

"You're not leaving again. I'm not going to let you." His voice was so sincere and determined. It made me feel horrible. A prickly sensation built behind my eyes, and then it happened. Water collected itself in my eyes and flowed over the rim on my bottom eye lid. I told myself that no matter how hard it got I wouldn't cry. I was crying.

"Stay back!" Jason screamed as he pulled me to the side so that way half of his body shielded me from Revenge.

"Jason," Revenge said calmly, "I need you to go sit down and go rest. I was never here, and you never saw me." Jason's arms started to loosen around me. I could sense the resistance in his eyes though. Revenge was doing mind control. I could tell by the tone of his voice.

"Jason, please go sit down and sleep," Revenge spoke again. That time Jason let go of me. I followed his dizzy steps to the chair. He sat down and was about to close his eyes.

"Goodbye, Jason. I love you," I whispered to him as he drifted off. I turned my attention to my unaware mom. She was still sleeping. I ran my hand over her smooth forehead to move some of the hair off of her face. I watched her for a moment then turned around.

Revenge held his hand out to me again. I took it without a word. I was distressed when he opened the door to exit the room. As the door shut, I looked over my shoulder at my past life. I knew that there was no going back. Not anymore. I had to do something about the humans in the cells. For some reason, I felt the need to save them. My life wasn't just about me or my family anymore. It was about people I didn't even know. There was only one nurse at the nurses' station.

"Have a good day," Revenge said to the dark haired woman. She gave him a dizzy looking smile and returned the saying. We were yelling pretty loud. I wondered how she didn't hear us. I thought about it then didn't question it. I quickly wiped away a last tear while we were walking. Revenge's hand tightened on mine. When we walked outside and to the car, I took slow deep breaths.

"Human, I am not sure what I should say. All I can say is that I'm sorry." He opened the car door for me. I took the hop up then let go of his hand. I watch it drop to his side empty. "But it doesn't feel like enough." He sat with the door still open and looking at me. I followed his eyes down to my hand where his ring was wrapped around my finger and Torture's bracelet hugged my wrist. His black hair fell in his face a little as a slow smirk grew on his face. I wondered what he was thinking.

"You're so cute, Revenge, you know that?" I said with a tired smile and a yawn. The small tears I cried made me tired.

"I um…" he started. I laughed at the nervous tone to his voice. He gave me a shy smile as he watched me laugh a little. It felt good to laugh.

"You don't actually have to answer that question, silly. Go ahead and blind fold me up," I said surrendering to the circumstance. I handed Revenge the blind fold. He held it in his hand loosely then glanced at me with a knowing smirk. In a slow motion, his hand let the blind fold fall. It dropped to the ground slowly then was blown away with the wind.

"Oh, it seems like I no longer have a blind fold." Revenge's eyes looked at me happily.

"Ummm… yeah, that was a terrible _accident,_" I added after him. We shared a smile then he shut the door. I buckled my seat belt then stared out of the window. As we drove out of the parking lot I heard the click of the AC turning on. A young girl was driving her car and laughing with whoever was talking to her on her phone. It felt strange to me. It was total freedom. We were on a thin road, and a forest surrounded the lanes. I stared out at the green blurs of the trees passing.

"We should play the ABC game. Although, it may take a while to win because of how empty this road is," I suggested in a sleepy voice.

"I am not really sure how to play this game of yours."

"Well I'll teach you then! Aren't you excited?"

"Very," he answered, and then I started to explain the rules.

I promised Revenge I would keep my eyes closed as we got closer to the Court of Radiance. I couldn't break my promises to him. He had done too much for me. Revenge won the ABC game ten times. I won once. The car stopped. The door beside me opened. I jumped down the little ways with my eyes still closed and knocked my knee on the door. I let out a small sigh. Revenge's hand found mine fast, and I took it while my eyes were still shut. We walked straight a little ways, and then we walked up a stair case. I tripped a few times, but Revenge always kept me from falling. A door creaked as it opened, and I felt the air around me change.

"Okay, you are able to see now." I opened my eyes. I stared out at the tops of trees. We were on the roof of a building about five stories up. The nights refreshing air brushed against my skin in a welcoming gesture I loved. The air my lungs collected was fresh. I held out my arms and smiled.

"This is amazing," I sighed. Lights lit up the building we were standing on top of. The yard was also lit up with flowers and a fountain.

"Where are we?" I asked as I looked out at the trees that surrounded the huge building we were standing on.

"On top of The Court of Radiance," he whispered.

"What are we doing up here?" I walked toward the edge of the roof as the wind pushed my brown hair behind my shoulders.

"I like it. I come up here when I need to relax and just… get away from everything. I pretend that none of my problems exist when I am here." I stopped walking as I got to the edge and looked out at the lawn that stretched a long ways to the tree line. I turned my head toward Revenge who was standing beside me. He seemed tired. His stance was sloppier than usual. I soon realized that he let his guard down up here. He was peaceful. I sat down and dangled my feet over the edge; Revenge joined me.

"I need to tell you something." His head turned towards me when he spoke.

"hmmm?" I answered curious. He paused then smiled.

"You make me feel happy." His words made me glance toward him with a smile. I stared into his silver blue eyes. Suddenly, I realized my lips were so close to his; his breath brushed against my lips. My heart thumped in my chest. I took my eyes away from his lips, and they landed back on his eyes. With a quick motion, my head snapped away.

"I..I just.. Umm…" I stumbled through my words as I tried to think of something to say. I was just afraid. That's what I wanted to say, but I couldn't say it.

"Human," His voice blended with the slight breeze as I cast my eyes down. "you do not have to hide." His words startled me, and I glance back up at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I whispered softly then watched my hair fall in front of my face as I looked down and away from him.

"You are allowed to cry, Blair." Just him saying that made water collect in my eyes. I had been holding so much in, and I was close to my breaking point.

"You can think about your family or friends. You don't have to erase them." The first tear fell as I glanced up at Revenge.

"My little brother's name is Dillon. He's fifteen and plays football. I had only missed one of his games last season." I took a deep breath and tried to clear my eyes of the water, but it was impossible.

"What position did he play?" Revenge asked softly. My chest fled with warmness at his words. His arm wrapped around my shoulders, and I leaned into his body. My head rested on his shoulder.

"He's a wide receiver, but sometimes they'll have him play corner too. He has so much energy. It makes him annoying, but I can't help but laugh when he makes fun of me sometimes." My tears started to dry. The night's calm breeze brushed against my skin.

"And your older brother? What is he like?"

"He's protective. If I ever brought a friend home who was a boy he would harass them. It was frustrating, but I couldn't be mad at him. He just cares about me so much. He loves cars too. I never know what he's talking about when he goes on tangents about a car or something." I had stopped crying, and I felt so much better.

"Thank you," I whispered to him as his eyes met mine.

"And thank you." I wanted to ask him why he was thanking me, but his eyes were looking straight into mine. I noticed my heart thudding in my chest, and then he leaned closer and then his lips were on mine. A sense of panic washed over me but disappeared quickly. His lips were soft. It was secure. It was a safe kiss, a slow one. It didn't last long at all. My heart raced. He pulled away fast as if realizing what he was doing, and then stared into my eyes.

"I am sorry. I just couldn't control what I was-"

"You don't have to apologize for that," I said with a smirk of happiness on my face. Revenge felt right.

"Enjoying the night?" The cold voice made my heart sink, and my smile slipped off my face. I turned to look at him slowly. His eyes hit mine and made my blood run cold. They were red. Zane's eyes were red. His presences took away my thoughts, and I hadn't even noticed Revenge had stood up until he blocked my view a little as he stepped with one foot in front of me.

"Do you think you can just take her away from me?" His words stung me. Zane's voice was so cold and calm. He wasn't calm. It was his eyes that gave away what he was feeling.

"Zane, I need you to calm down," Revenge said slowly as I got to my feet. Zane's smile scared me.

"You have broken the rules, Rev." Zane threw all his weight into the punch. When his fist made contact with Revenge's face I felt like the world was slowing. The sound was loud. Revenge stumbled back and dropped to one knee with his hand holding his face. I was going through a state of shock. My heart pounded in my chest.

"My human, you really have got to stop disappearing all the time. It makes me uncomfortable." Zane's arms were suddenly around my waist as he stood behind me. His hands gripped my stomach. Zane's smooth laugh echoed in my ears. I watched Revenge as he sat on the ground breathing heavy. Blood dripped from his face and onto the concrete roof. Zane's arms went under my legs as he picked me up. He took a couple of steps carrying me bridal style before I snapped out of it.

"Zane! Zane! Stop this!" I yelled so loud my voice scratched against my throat. My hands were no match for his anger as I tried to free myself from his arms.

"You are mine," he said with his eyes cast down on me with anger.

"I am not yours!" I screamed at him. My arms reached for his face, and I placed both my hands on the side of his cheeks. With a jerk, I pulled his head down, so his eyes would meet mine. His feet stopped moving. My chest was rising and lowering with my nervous breaths. 'I'm not…" I trailed off softly as I stared into his eyes. The red was vanishing as I stared into them. His blue eyes tossed the thoughts around in my head. I couldn't think straight when I was around him. There was a spark from somewhere inside of me that was trying to contradict my words. His hand came up and touched the back of my hand on his face. I glanced at him confused.

"You say that, yet I see you look at me like this." He brushed my hair out of my face. I dropped my hands from him.

"Zane, put me down."

"No, you do not understand how insane you make me, do you?" he asked with frustration.

"Put. Me. Down." He didn't. He didn't put me down even with me kicking and screaming all the way back to his apartment. Zane even ignored all the weird glances that mostly came from the guards. Once he did set me down, I turned to him with anger.

"What the hell is your problem?" We stood frozen as he looked at me silently. He skipped answering my question.

"Thinking about what you have lost doesn't make you better. It holds you back, like it has held Rev back." His words made me ache for him. He really didn't get it.

"Zane, it doesn't hold you back," I whispered as I turned my back on him and started to walk to the room I was staying in. "it makes you feel." I placed my hand on the door knob, but Zane's hand came from over my shoulder and landed on top of mine; it kept me from opening the door.

"Feelings get in the way," he said with an edge to his voice. I stood still for a moment before I turned to face him quickly.

"What do they get in the way of, Zane?" He stared at me with a blank expression.

"Talk to me if you ever find an answer," I said as my hand behind me reached the door knob and twisted it.

"It gets in the way of what I need. I find myself thinking about you at times I shouldn't, and it holds me back. I am not supposed to want for myself." His hands grabbed my waist and pulled me close to him. Energy ran through my body, and my thoughts caved into nothing. All I could think about was where his hands touched me and his blue eyes staring at me as if deciding something. He leaned close, and somewhere in me I knew what was coming. I backed into the door and shifted away from him.

"Zane, you can't just do that," I whispered into the silence that surrounded us. Before he could say anything or hold me back, I slipped into the room. My heart was still pounding.

**Hello :D It's been a long wait, I know! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter though! **

*****Review Responses*****

**Jade26****- **Hello there! lol Zane can be a bit strange sometimes :D Aw, I'm glad you like Dax so much! He's a fun and really positive guy! He's really clear in my head too as a character when I write. Yeah, Blair is in conflict with this whole loving thing. I'll keep you guessing until the very end :P haha thanks for the review!

**VampirePrincess4Ever****- **Hi :) So you reviewed on chapter five, but I hope you've made it this far! Don't worry, Zane and Blair will get their time together. It's just going to take time because I don't like rushing character relationships. I love to drag them out for as long as possible :D haha Thanks for reviewing!

**AlexandraSterling41****-**Yay! I'm glad you think so, and I hope this chapter kept up with your expectations! There was some serious Zane/Revenge stuff going on lol. I'll try to get better at updating! Haha Thank you for your review! :)

**DJShayShayxx**- Yeah, Colten was a creep for sure! Hehe, I know! I love writing Torture/Blair scenes because of their really different personalities. It's fun :D As for getting Torture to smile… I can try, but that's going to be difficult. We may never see the day… lol. Awww! So glad you like Revenge so much! He is definitely a caring guy! Thank you for your awesome review!

**Tamika**- You're right! The update is totally overdue! Thank you for pushing me back into gear! Lol Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thank you for your review!

**THANK YOU ALL! Enjoy the rest of your week! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

I spun the bracelet around and around on my wrist. I was deciding if I wanted to take it off or not. The decision turned out to be extra tricky. Did I want Torture's mark? No. I hated the mark. I just couldn't find it in me to take it off. He said he was doing it to protect Revenge. My thinking shifted to a different question- just how much was I willing to sacrifice?

"Just take it off then," I mumbled into what I believed was empty air. My fingers wrapped around the slim bracelet then dropped away unsuccessful. I didn't think I could do it.

"Debating?" Zane's controlled voice jumped into my ear as his hands reached towards me. His fingers brushed against my wrist.

"Problem solved," he announced calmly as he moved away from me. My marks were gone, both of them.

"Hey!" I protested, but he didn't even turn to look in my direction. He started to pace back and forth in front of the couch I was stretched out on. My head was on the arm rest as a pillow, and my right leg was crossed over my left as I lay down. I was going to continue my protest and go on about how I needed the ring, but I was taken aback by Zane. He looked so deep in thought that I decided to remain quiet and see how long it took for him to speak. He was oddly relaxed today, and was wearing something different than his usual clothes. His whole 'I'm the serious leader' look was gone. He was wearing black sweat pants and a light gray and blue shirt that really brought out his blue eyes. It made him seem more like a regular really hot guy who was-

"I have been thinking for a while and-"

"Yeah, no kidding. I've been sitting here for like five minutes watching you." I didn't mean for it to sound like I was checking him out or anything, but it ended up sounding that way. His head tilted as his blue eyes sank into mine. His perfect white teeth showed as he smiled.

"Amusing," he stated simply then sat down next to me. My heart stuttered at the nearness.

"Also… I'm mad at you," I stated easily. My arms crossed over my chest. Instead of him reacting in a negative way, his eyes lit up.

"Really? And why is that?" A small smile started at the edge of his lips.

"You punched Revenge and took me unwillingly."

"Revenge did something he shouldn't have. He deserved more than what he got, and as for you… I don't see why I need your consent."

"You need my consent because I have free will!"

"I don't see why we are discussing this unimportant matter." He closed the argument with that single line which made me want to start another one. I unhappily dropped the subject.

"What would you like to do today?" His voice asking that question made me look at him oddly._ Don't question it, _I told myself.

"Look at the building's blue print then go visit Revenge," I answered after a brief pause. I gave Zane an innocent smile. I watch a frown mark his face as he glanced toward me. His fast frown dissolved itself into a smile.

"How about I teach you how to throw knives?"

"Ummm…because it sounds dangerous!" Zane was up and entering the code before I could protest any more.

"Let's go," he stated easily

"What? Where are we going?" I asked confused.

"To the training room."

I threw the knife. Like the many other times I had attempted this, the knife didn't hit the target. It didn't even dig itself into the wall for that matter. It just clinked onto the ground announcing to all the guards in the training room that I was a failure. I looked over my shoulder to watch a few guards who had their attention on Zane and me. I had felt eyes on me the whole time I was there.

"You keep on holding it wrong," Zane said frustrated. My heart just wasn't in it. Throwing knives wasn't something I believed was fun. He stepped in front of me; our bodies were only inches apart. His hands grabbed my right hand and yanked it open. His skin touching mine sent a spark through me.

"You are supposed to hold it," he began as he positioned the knife's hilt into my palm, "like this." I was too busy staring into his blue eyes. Why were his eyes blue while the others had silver eyes? My inner question became reality.

"Zane, why are your eyes such a pretty blue?" I asked as he was still standing in front of me. His laugh greeted my question.

"And what has made you ask this question now?" His curiosity sparked into his eyes.

"Just tell me," I said growing impatient. He leaned in and his breath whispered against my ear.

"Because I am half human." I flinched back a little startled.

"What?" I sighed in disbelief. Someone chose that exact startling moment to interrupt.

"Zane." I turned my head away from Zane's blue eyes and toward the speaker.

"Torture, what is the issue that has sent you searching for me on my day off?" Zane asked with a hint of annoyance. That explained his very relaxed manners. He had his day off today.

"There has been an assassination attempt. Unsuccessful, of course." Torture's hands were clasped behind his back.

"Was the suspect captured?" Zane's posture went from relaxed and carefree to rigid and guarded.

"No, they were not."

"They?" Zane's whisper was stern.

"Three of them," Torture answered after a moment of hesitation.

"Very well." Zane glanced over the training room. Some of the guards had stopped what they were doing and looked toward our small trio.

"My human, if you would excuse me." Before he turned to leave his hand grabbed mine. He took the knife from my palm and in its place left a smooth ring. Our eyes made contact, and I held the contact until he turned away. I sighed in relief and slipped Revenge's ring back on my finger. I wasn't the only one who watched Zane's back as he left the room. As soon as the door shut, the whispers started. I glanced around only to notice Zane left me in Torture's care.

"Hello there, Torture," I announced as I watched him unclasp his hands from behind his back.

"What is it about you that fascinates so many of my kind?" He sounded as if he were asking the question to him rather than me.

"Ask your kind not me," I said as I put my hands up to surrender.

"Revenge would not stop asking to see you," he whispered as the chatter around the room focused on the assassination attempt. My heart fluttered at the mention of his name.

"Well where is he?" I pushed the question as I took a step closer to him. I had been worried about him all day and night. I wanted to talk to him so badly since Zane had so rudely punched him in the face. Zane. Half human.

"Dr. Barrett's," he answered softly. My hand was suddenly plucked from the air by Torture.

"Why? Is he ok?"

"Where is the mark I gave you?" His eyes scanned over my plain wrist.

"Do you always have to be so rough?" I asked as I pulled my wrist from his grip. His silver eyes narrowed in on me.

"Where-"

"Zane took it from me," I answered with a hiss as I rubbed at my now bruised wrist.

"I gave it to you for a reason. I do-"

"What reason, Torture? Just tell me what in the world is going on with Revenge… please?" I watched Torture look down at the wrestling mats we were standing on. His silver eyes shifted up to mine after a minute of silence.

"I don't believe it is my place to tell you."

"Please," I asked in desperation I hated to show.

"He's sick," he murmured. I froze for a moment before I spoke.

"So… he's at the doctors and they can just fix it… but… why haven't they fixed-"

"Blair, it isn't something that can be fixed." My green eyes met Torture's very serious silver ones. I glanced away after a moment. I looked around the room that now seemed different to me for some weird reason.

"Take me to see him." It came out as a statement; not a question.

Doctor Barrett was a middle aged man with balding hair and a happy smile. I tried to smile back a few times, but it always turned out to be an unsuccessful action. I watched his silver eyes scan over the monitor beside the spacious bed. He scribbled something down on a clip board. Revenge had a very nice room. It even had a window that looked out to a colorful lit up garden below. The room was a calm shade of blue with wooden floors and white furniture. I sat on a white wicker chair with a not too comfortable cushion. Revenge's pale hand was in mine. His hair was a mess, and his face looked thin and pale. A shade of black shadowed itself around his eyes.

"Human, I don't believe he is going to be responsive today." I glanced over at Torture sitting on a chair further away from the bed. I turned my attention back to the man on the bed. I watched his chest rise and fall and wondered about his sickness. I learned from Torture that Revenge was diagnosed with cancer before he was turned. I thought about the spark of blue in his eyes. Blue… my mind tried to piece information together. Could it be that he was half human too?

"Sometimes he will sleep for days. It is what happens to us when we get severely hurt or injured. We slip into a phase called the hold. It is a deep sleep that helps our body heal itself." I didn't respond to his explanation. I only stared down at Revenge's still body. He looked so fragile.

"My human, I am taking you back to your room. You have been here much too long." The voice startled me, and my head lifted from the bed. My eyes opened to a dark room. I searched the shaded space to see if Revenge's eyes had opened; they remained closed.

"I'm fine here," I said to the man whose voice made my heart stutter.

"It wasn't a suggestion." I didn't hear his footsteps, but Zane's hand suddenly gripped mine. I tried to shrug out of his grip, but I didn't have the strength or energy.

"Please, my human. I do not want you to fight me about this." I didn't look up and meet his eyes. I just kept on staring at the white sheets pulled over Revenge's body.

"I promise to retrieve you once I am told that he awakens." I watched the monitor beside the bed. The numbers stayed steady.

"You have been here for hours and need rest. Doctor Barrett will kick you out if you insist on not coming with me," Zane continued to speak to me even without my response. I finally met his pleading stare. Just seeing him made my heart squeeze. His silver hair shined as the moonlight from the window hit it.

"You better come get me," I mumbled in a sleepy voice. With clumsy steps I got to my feet.

His hand still held mine as we walked through the long halls. I didn't care about paying attention too much anymore. After a long walk, I saw the door to Zane's apartment. He entered a code, and this time I didn't even try to see what the numbers were. I started to pull my hand away from his as I began to walk toward the room I was staying in. I was pulled to a stop when Zane didn't free my hand. I slowly rotated around to face him.

His iced blue eyes shined in the darkness of the apartment space. I noticed that he was still in his sweat pants and blue shirt.

"My human…"

"I. Am. Not. Yours," I said with an angry tone and a tired voice.

"It has occurred to me that I should no longer hold back." I moved a piece of my brown hair out of my green eyes. I skimmed over his face expression.

"Yup. Give everything your all. That's great, Zane, but I would really like to go and get some sleep so-"

"You." The one word said so precisely aimed at me made me stop talking. I grew silent as I watched him. His hand on mine grew tighter as he pulled me closer to him. My heart slammed down in my chest, and a tingle was sent down my arm.

"Ignoring you doesn't help me. It just makes it worse." His voice was gentle in the room. It was the first time I had ever heard his voice sound so fragile. I had no idea what he was getting at, or what to say.

"I try not to feel for you, but the harder I try the more I feel." The rise and fall of my chest grew off beat at his words. My mind had nothing to focus on but his blue eyes that watched me intently.

"Do you want me to show my feelings?" His question made my breathing hitch, and I couldn't bring any words out of my mouth. His presence in the quiet room made my mind suddenly go blank. _Mine, _I thought as his hand came forward and brushed down the skin of my arm. His touch left tingles in its wake.

"Zane…I…" I couldn't even finish my sentence; being that close made my mind fuzzy. His breath brushed across my lips. He stayed frozen as if he were asking for confirmation. I stood frozen and unable to think straight. My heart jumped in my chest too fast. His lips met mine.

Electricity singe through my body, and I found myself drawing closer to him. He was _mine._ The problems in my world faded to become nothing. All I thought about was where his hands touched my skin. His hands touched my stomach. I felt my nerves tingle where his skin touched mine. I leaned into the kiss. His hands moved on my stomach and a popping noise made me take a moment to breathe. As I caught my breath, I looked down at his hands. A button was missing from the bottom of my button up shirt. His hands were tight on the bottom of my shirt, and I could imagine the second one popping. I snapped back to my mind set and said the first thing I was able to work up to say.

"Wow… I ummm... Look! My button is broke! I should go get that fixed right now. It's important."

It was hard to, but I pushed off his chest, so he would drop his hands from mine. Instead the hands on the bottom of my shirt tightened.

"My human, I don't see what you are trying to do. I am going to go insane if you keep on doing this to me." I stared into his intense gaze. His blue eyes were bright in the dim room. My mouth opened, and the next words I could think to say poured from my mouth in rushed sentences.

"I'm going to go get some chocolate. I feel like chocolate. You know? I'll just go get ice cream and-"

His hands released my shirt, and I stumbled back some.

"What do you want from me?" And like almost every question these days, I didn't have an answer. I found his eyes staring at me with a dim redness behind the brilliant blue. He appeared to actually look in disarray. He turned around and slowly walked to his room. I heard the door click shut quietly. I glanced down at my hands. After standing still for a few moments I took a step in the direction the room I was staying in was toward. A constant pattern hit my thoughts. _Zane. Zane. Zane. Revenge_. The names repeated themselves. The recent events burned in the back of my memory with my heart still pounding.

"Human." The sound of the strong quiet voice startled me.

"Torture?" I murmured as I picked my head up from my pillow.

"Zane has told me to get you. Revenge has woken up." I jumped out of the bed in my pjs.

"Well what are you waiting for! Lead the way!" I ushered.

"Revenge!" I yelled into the room after Torture had dropped me off. Revenge's slow movement startled me as he sat up on his bed.

"Human, it is good to see you." His smile brought a bit of life into his eyes. I stared at him for a few quiet moments. The dying sun's rays pushed themselves through the cracks of the shades and danced on the wooden floors. I took in the blue walls, and I noticed that the monitor that had sat next to the bed was turned off.

"Revenge… why didn't you tell me?" I saw the bright smile on his face fall a little as he broke eye contact with me.

"I use to think being sick made me weak." Revenges voice was soft. He cast his eyes down towards the blanket. I watched a smile draw back onto his face. His silver blue eyes glanced back up at me.

"But it doesn't. It makes me stronger." I looked at his now obviously fragile body. I didn't know how I didn't notice earlier. I guess that before it wasn't really apparent to me because I didn't know. Now that I knew he was sick, I could see it clearly.

"How would it make you stronger?" I said mad at the world for giving this sickness to him. Why him?

"It helps me…understand," he finished with breaking our eye contact and getting up from the bed.

"Revenge…" I trailed off unable to think of anything to say about how I felt.

"Human, everything is the same. The only difference now is that you know. There is no reason to act any different." I watched him walk around the bed. He was wearing gray sweat pants and a black shirt. He held his slim hand out to me. I stopped being a downer. I took his hand. For some odd reason I felt a puddle of guilt in my stomach.

"You didn't go eat yet, right?" he asked as we walked out of the door way of his nice hospital like room.

"Does it look like I had time?" I pointed down to my pjs. The fuzzy pants I was wearing were blue with unicorns, and I was wearing a tight pink top. We both shared a small laugh.

"So…what do the initials stand for?" I asked as I twisted the ring on my finger.

"My given name," he answered with a smirk.

"And that would be?" I added as I stared down at L.G.

"Leland Gibson. It feels…weird to say that name. It's been years since I've said it."

"Huh," I mumbled as I stopped twisting the ring.

"I had Dax check up on you mother this morning. She is doing better." I grinned at him as his black damp hair fell a little into his eyes.

"So… Why exactly do you do this?" I asked referring of course to his job. I didn't need to clarify; he understood right away.

"Zane was the one who turned me," he said with a small voice.

"Oh, he did?" I asked as I rolled my eyes. Zane. Half human… wait. Revenge. Half human?

"Yes. I had previously been sick before he turned me. I had leukemia for a couple of years, and he came up to me one night while I was in the hospital room. He was a complete stranger at the time claiming to be some long lost relative. He told me that he might be able to save me if I was willing to give up the ones I loved, if I were able to lose contact with them. He told me that it might not work, but if I was willing he would try. I was so sick of feeling pain that I was glad he had offered." I caught the weak smile from him out of the corner of my eye. I let him continue his story.

"I awoke to a whole new world, Blair." Revenge saying my name made me glance up at him. He looked so much better than when he laid still in what Torture had called 'the hold'.

"I immediately wanted to get back to my family and friends, but I couldn't. I had promised Zane that I wouldn't do such a thing if he were to save me. So, they grew old, and I watched their lives pass so fast." He paused, and we walked in silence for a moment.

"Then I felt the sickness again. I knew what was causing it immediately. Zane is half human and he has more human traits in him than I do, but when he changed me, I became a vampire and still carried a small percent of human traits. Doctor Barrett has been working with me ever since." He paused as we stopped in front of a door that needed a code.

" I told him to give up on finding a cure when a medicine almost killed me once. I have lived past the life time that I would have lived and many many years beyond that." We crossed through the door, and then I was stopped by Revenge. He turned to face me.

"I use to view death as an acceptance. Most of the vampires walk around as if they will live forever, and perhaps they will." His black hair fell away from his face in pieces when he looked up again.

"I had no reason to be upset…" His silver blue eyes peered right into mine.

"Then you happened." He glanced down, and I followed his eyes to the ring on my finger.

"I find myself angered when I think about who you are to become. The thought of me missing your life…" he trailed off unable to glance up at me with an angry set to his jaw. My heart slammed against my chest.

"I really do hate to break up your talk." The voice surprisingly startled us both. Revenge had dropped my hand and had a knife gripped in his hand at his side.

"Oh. Hello, Fade," he said once we took in the new speaker. Revenge's hand moved to conceal the weapon, and his hands dropped down to his side empty. Fade's silver eyes scanned over me from only a couple feet away.

"Revenge, I need to take the girl. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting." Fade's voice seemed formal. I got a weird feeling in my stomach. Revenge must had felt it too because it wasn't long before he started to protest.

"And what is it that you would need her for."

"Revenge this is really nothing of your concern. I would really hate to have to…I don't know...have problems with you." Fade's cold hand captured my wrist, and he tugged me to him. I jerked towards his body and crashed into his side.

"Fade…" Revenge's voice sounded like a warning. I looked around the vacant and plain part of the hallway we stood in.

"Sorry, Revenge, I really did like you." My eyes caught the metal of a gun, and before I could even let out a breath Fade fired. The two shots were silenced. My heart constricted. A knife went flying in Fade's direction, and he ducked down pulling me with him. I heard the knife dig into the wall behind me.

My eyes rushed up to Revenge. He was still standing. My eyes brushed over his body and stopped at the side of his shirt. The fabric of his black shirt was wet with red. Revenge had just been shot. The air in my lungs emptied in a sigh. A sharp worried feeling hit my stomach. I glanced up at his eyes. They were red and staring straight at Fade.

I was still sitting on the ground as Fade was suddenly making his way to Revenge. I glanced over my shoulder at the knife Revenge had thrown to see it buried in the wall. I twisted my head back around to see Revenge struggling. With clumsy steps I got up from the floor. I peered over my shoulder. Fade held a knife in his fisted hand, and brought the knife down in a cruel slash at Revenge's face. Revenge stumbled and fell into the wall. Turning away, I gripped the knife in the wall. With gritted teeth and all the strength I could find in myself, I pulled the knife that had imbedded itself in the hallway wall. I pulled away unsuccessful. I stretched my hands with a deep breath and re-gripped the hilt of the knife. I pulled. I heard a small creak from the wall and stumbled back when the knife came out of the wall. I turned back to Revenge and Fade quickly. Fade's back was turned to me as he pinned Revenge against the opposite hallway wall. Revenge's appearance made my anger collapse into focus. I held the knife like Zane had taught me just the other day. Blood glistened off of Revenge's face as his red eyes glanced up toward me. Our eyes made contact in understanding.

The knife flew from my hand. The silver knife dug itself part way into Fade's back. Startled Fade turned toward the threat-me. With a fluid motion Revenge brought up the sword that had been laying abandoned on the floor and brought it in perfect alignment with Fade's neck. I turned my eyes away from the gruesome scene before I heard the sickening sound. My chest was rising and falling unevenly as I glanced at my feet. I was too afraid to look up.

After a short moment, my eyes slowly moved from the floor to the scene of death in front of me. Fade was dead. Revenge was slumped against the hallway wall. Blood trickled down from his face and soaked into the collar of his shirt. His eyes were barely open when I rushed over to him.

"Revenge!" I had no idea what to do. I brought my hands to the bullet wound. Stop blood flow. I saw my panicked hands shaking.

"Revenge…" I asked after he didn't respond to me. I followed his eyes to see what had him so transfixed. He was holding his hands out in front of himself and staring down at them.

"Look at my hands. They are completely red." I glimpsed at them and only found a small splotch of blood on his hand.

"What are you talking about?" I asked in a hushed voice.

"My hands are full of red. Can't you see that?" His voice grew softer as he spoke. His hands fell down. I knew what was coming.

"Revenge…Revenge!" His eyes turned towards me, and I watched as they started to close.

"What the hell!" The surprised voice fell into my ears. His black shirt with the sun/eye symbol in the corner proved that he was a guard. He stood a few feet away staring at me. I drew closer to Revenge. He had completely closed his eyes. I kept my hands on the bullet wound.

"Help!" I shouted at the guard who had a gun out…and pointed at me?

"Get up!" he yelled toward me.

"What? Help!" I shouted again. I took panicked deep breaths as I tried to calm my shaking hands.

"Code seven fifty five!" he announced into a cell phone.

"Why are you just standing there!" I screamed in disbelief.

"I am going to ask you one more time to stand up and show me your hands." Then I put myself in his shoes. One dead vampire. One dying vampire. One living human.

"You… You think I did this!" My breaths got deeper. A hand yanked on my arm.

"Stop!" I protested as I was being dragged away from Revenge. The hand on me was locked onto my arm and another hand captured my other arm. I was no longer putting pressure on Revenge's wound.

"Human," Torture's familiar voice sank into my ears, "calm down." I kicked out at him.

"Stop! I'm helping!" I screamed as I was dragged even farther from Revenge. A sudden pinch made me look over at my arm. A needle. I glanced up into Torture's furious silver eyes.

"Nooo…" I mumbled. _Not again. _

"Take her to the prison cells." I had no voice to protest with as I was dragged to whatever destination they pleased.

**Hello! So I'm sorry that it has taken me SO LONG… but someone private messaged me, and it got me going to get this out! If it ever takes me super long to update just… review again and tell me to get going on the next chapter XD haha because that usually wakes me up! Oh my goodness though! Crazy stuff is happening. What do you think is going to happen to Blair?**

*****Review Responses*****

**AlexandraSterling41-** Hi :) Happy to hear that you liked the chapter! Revenge and Blair are cute together :D Sorry for my not to soon update! I hope you enjoy this chapter too though! Thanks for your review!

**ZisisGirl23-** Hello! Well Zane did confess feelings a little to Blair in this chapter :0 haha I hope you liked this chapter as well! Thanks for reviewing!

**Emmalea**- Awww :) I'm super happy that you found it too! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**Dire Heart**- Hello there! I know :( it was a sad family moment. Writing that scene though with her brother was actually one of my favorite scenes to write because it's so emotional. Thank you for taking the time to review!

** -** I'm so happy to have made your day with that last chapter! :D hehe! Revenge and Blair are cute together! This chapter is sad about Revenge though… I know! Don't you just love Dax? He is such an awesome character. I'm so proud of myself for coming up with such a fun guy. Haha! We'll see if we can get a smile out of Torture before the story ends. It will be tricky. Thank you for reviewing (as always lol)! :)

**vampires lover forever**- Hi! Thank you for reading and giving me some motivation!

**SoulToSqueez-** YAY! So glad you've enjoyed it! I love reading a nice fanfiction story for an afternoon! It's one of my favorite things to do! That's interesting! I've thought about that too before! Like in other books I can't imagine me meeting or being friends with some of my favorite characters, so that's interesting that you said that about Zane. I know exactly what you mean! This chapter really gave some insight on the Revenge situation, and you'll be finding out more about him. Thank you for your awesome review!

**yusagi710**- haha! I'm glad to hear such a Zane advocate come out! It has been a while! Thanks for reviewing! :)

**Thank you for all of your support!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

I was lying on the dirtiest bed ever. I jumped up with anger and confusion. I looked around the small space. I was standing on a cement floor that was cracking. The small dirty bed I had woken up on was shoved in a corner. A bug crawled near my foot, and I stood still as I watched it escape my cell. Lucky. A small light was lit in the hallway and sent a shadowed light into the cell. Dust collected itself in the corners. I didn't want to touch anything in the cell. I stood with my arms hugging myself.

Revenge. Fear ran through my body at the thoughts of the condition he was in the last time I saw him. I looked down at my hands to see them free of blood. The ring still wrapped around my finger. A loud creaking and echo made my head snap up. I heard the echoing of footsteps closing in on my direction. With hurried motions, I shoved the ring in my pocket afraid they might take it from me.

"Blair Swanson." I glanced up to meet the eyes of the person who had called my name. His eyes were silver and watched me with a hint of anger. I glanced down toward his shirt which had the guard symbol. His brown hair was cut short.

"Yes?" I answered in a voice that made me feel small.

"I am here to read you your notice," he announced.

"Ummm… where's Revenge?" I asked. His eyes brushed over me, and then shifted down to the piece of paper he held in his hands.

"Blair Swanson, you have been charged with the escape penalty, killing a vampire, injuring a vampire, and trespassing on grounds. The consequence of the escape penalty is death. The consequence of killing a vampire is death. The consequence of injuring a vampire is-"

"I can handle this situation," Zane's commanding voice spilled into the room. My heart shifted in my chest at the thoughts of the last time I saw him. I took small steps forward and brought myself closer to the edge of the cell to see what was going on. My arm brushed against the metal bar as I peered out of the cell. The guard looked toward Zane with a confused expression but didn't question his presence. Zane held out his hand, and with one last glance at me the guard handed over the piece of paper. As the piece of paper hit Zane's hand, Zane stepped forward towards me. I glanced at the gray ground not wanting to face him. The screeching of the guard exiting the door brought my eyes up only inches from Zane's. His smooth face was flawless, and I saw the tension in his bright blue eyes. His fingertips reached through the bars and brushed against the skin on my cheek.

"My human, you never seem to stay out of trouble." His voice seemed stiff. His fingertips dropped from my face, and he scanned the paper he held tightly in his hands.

"Zane," I said with a worried tone to my voice that was much softer than usual. His eyes flickered up from the piece of paper and to my face.

"Yes?"

"What's happening?" I asked with a very nervous and worried voice. He stayed quiet as his blue eyes searched my face as if waiting to find something.

"The knife in Fade's back was only in half way. You threw that knife. Did you not?" he asked as he watched my reaction.

"Yes. I did…but-" I started to explain what had happened, but he cut me off.

"There is no excuse for a human's actions. You have done what you did. There is no taking it back or redeeming yourself."

"I was trying to help Revenge! Zane you've got to listen to me. Fade was trying to take me, and Revenge started to stop him and-"

"One of my best members on my team has been killed, and one of my members is severely injured and his current state or wellbeing doesn't help him. I can only hope that he will wake up." Zane looked at me with a furious glance.

"Please tell me he's alright," I pleaded as my heart sank.

"He isn't dead, but he hasn't woken up. Why must you involve me in all of your affairs?" Zane looked at me. Anger skipped across his eyes. A faint red grew behind the blue of his eyes.

"Zane, something's going on. I don't know what it is, but you've got to get me out of here." He stood still and stared at me. Then with a small smile he laughed.

"I cannot do that right now, even if I do not like you behind those bars," he said without a break in his voice. I grew still.

"What do you mean you can't? We-"

"Well there's your problem, my human. There is no we."

"You need to listen to what I have to say, Zane. You're not listening."

"Nothing you say is going to help your case. You have killed one of my kind. " His angry blue eyes stared into my cell. His hand reached through the bars and ran down my face slowly. I glanced away from him and toward the ground.

"And that is why," he added as his hand came under my chin and jerked my eyes toward his once again, "I will leave you right now." He dropped my face and took a step back.

"I trusted you!" I shouted with tears starting to build in my eyes. I was helpless. He always seemed to appear when I needed him to, and that made me believe he was trust worthy. I had been mistaken.

"I warned you not to trust me," he said between his clenched teeth.

"When did you do that?" I asked as a tear fell onto my pale cheek.

"When I said that I sometimes cannot make the choices that my heart wants, I have to follow what is expected of me." His hand moved up as if he was going to wipe away my tear, but then it retreated back to his side.

"Well that wasn't a warning at all," I pushed the words past my lips with my anger growing. I wiped my tears away.

"How basic do you need the warning to be?"

"How about 'Hey, my human, do not trust me.'" I turned around after I said those words and faced the back of the cell. My arms crossed over my chest. This wasn't my end. I wasn't going to die. I was determined. Revenge needed me, and I still had to help the humans who don't have a voice.

"That impersonation doesn't suit me well." His voice was surprisingly low.

"From your eyes perhaps." I looked toward the back wall as I tried to keep the tears from falling. Him not helping me hurt. It felt like pressure was collecting itself on my chest and pushing me down.

"Wait…" I said as a sudden thought struck me. "Aren't there trials?" Hope filled me. I remembered when those vampires broke into The Court of Radiance and they had a trial. Then I could explain what happened and they'd know that I just wanted to help Revenge!

"Not for humans." His answer was straightforward and cold. My hope dissolved. My hands curled around the cold metal bars of the cell.

"Zane, please." I didn't know what exactly I was saying please to. I just needed him to help me. My green eyes pleaded with his bright blue ones. His eyes broke contact with mine. I sighed in defeat as I leaned my forehead against the bars. He took a step toward my cell and his lips brushed against mine in a quick soft kiss. It sent a shiver through me. I glanced at him startled and with my heart beating fast. He was mine, and he was leaving me to die. My eyes hit the cement ground wishing I could've backed out of that kiss and slapped him.

"Thank you for making me feel just the littlest things," he said. And then he whispered lowly,

"My human, be patient." With that, Zane turned his back on me and began to walk out of the hall. His words confused me. Be patient? For what?

"Zane! Stop! Don't leave me like this!" I begged only because I knew he was my only chance. Only the echoing of his receding footsteps answered my pleading as he disappeared from sight. I took panicked breaths as I leaned against the cement wall. I slid down with my hands on each side of my head and a growing head ache. I thought I had Zane figured out. I was wrong about him.

"Life is so short. You're a vampire so you may not really understand what it's like, but trust me." A guard was standing a few cells away from mine, and I went on and on with my rambling. The whole thing about me receiving the death penalty didn't feel real. I was in denial.

"I've been gone from home for like…A long time. I lose track when I'm here. Anyways, that means my brothers make their own lunches for school now, and they use their own alarm clocks cuz I can't be there to wake them up in the mornings. I guess it's about time though that Jason starts to learn that since he's nineteen and in college," I sighed and was about to continue to the guard who never moved or spoke back, but the creaking of the door opening took my attention.

The steady clicking of heels made its way to me, and my eyebrows knit together in confusion. Who could that be? The guard that I had been talking to bowed his head. I glanced up to see who it was.

"Blair." Her soft pink lips smiled at me and her brown curls spiraled down her shoulders. I barely recognized her. She was the woman who had been standing and talking to Zane after a meeting the day Revenge took me to see my mom. She wasn't wearing her tiara like she had been before, and she wasn't in a dress.

"Um, hi?" I said as I took in her nice clothes and flawless face.  
"You have caused a lot of trouble." Her lips fell a little into a frown.

"It's hard not to when everyone's trying to kill each other," I answered quickly. She smiled faintly and took a few steps closer to the cell I was in.

"You are so very interesting in the way you talk to me. Do you have any idea as to who I am?" Her voice was like fluid when she talked. I stared at her for a while trying to figure it out.

"Someone important?" I guessed. Her laugh greeted me.

"Guard, give me the keys." I stared at the guard who was locked in place with a confused look on his face.

"Keys," she said again after he didn't respond to her. He nodded his head.

"Yes, Princess," he answered as he stepped forward to hand her the keys. She plucked them from his hands quickly. She turned back toward my cell. Her brilliant silver eyes glanced at me.

"You have ruined so many of my plans before. I do wish that you allow this one to run smoothly." She found a key and entered it into my cell. I heard the click of the key falling into place to open the lock. I tried to figure out what she was doing and couldn't.

"Princess, I don't think that this is a-" The guard began to protest.

"Shut up!" the princess yelled at the guard as she turned toward him with her hand out. A loud smack echoed in the hall, and I flinched away. I watched the guard look up from the ground. His once perfect face was streaked with blood lines on his cheek. I winced and wished I could somehow help him. He was listening to my stories without yelling at me. It made me like the guard a little.

"Do not question my actions," she said as she calmed. The guard stepped farther away with his head bowed toward the ground. The princess opened the door to my cell with a loud screech.

"Blair, stay in your cell in that exact spot," she commanded as I itched to take a step forward and out of the cell. The door was open, but the option was still closed. I watched the princess reach her manicured fingers into her pocket and pull out a sleek black cell phone. Her back turned from me as she dialed a number and walked away toward the back of the hall. She only spoke one word into the phone.

"Now." Her voice sounded strong and sure. The echoing of her heels started to fade as she started to leave with my cell door still open. The guard glanced over at me, and I shrugged. At the end of the hall the light flickered off. I felt my heart drop. The light next to it shut off. The guard's eyes watched with confusion. I had a slight idea of what was happening. Someone broke in, or this was an attempt to get me out, but why would the princess involve herself in something like breaking me out? The lights all started to shut off, and it wasn't long before the whole hall was completely dark.

Suddenly, there was a grunt and the sound of a sword. I heard a body fall to the ground. I backed into a wall to press myself against; it made me feel safer. I held my breath thinking that it would hide me better.

"Blair," the unfamiliar male voice was deep and sounded confident. "Come with me." His face was shadowed in the darkness. His hand collapsed over mine and engulfed it. He pulled me out of the cell.

"Did you kill the guard?" I asked him with a gasp. He didn't answer. I was dragged along. I wasn't going to complain that much seeing that he was getting me out of my death sentence. Wait…was he?

"Where are we going?" I added as I tried to adjust to the darkness. I stumbled along as he pulled me.

"Don't speak," the guy said as he tugged me forward.

"I'm not going to let you drag me into a death trap, so tell me right now where-" My talking was brought to a stop as the back of his hand made contact with my face with a slap.

"Don't speak," he whispered again. I brought my hand up to cradle my now injured cheek. I tasted blood. A loud beeping swept through the room. It was the alarm. Someone broke into The Court of Radiance. This vampire tugging my hand could be anyone. I didn't know if he was good or bad, but he was getting me out of the prison cell. I didn't know what to do. I let him pull me while I decided.

"Here is the back exit. The car is waiting right there," the fluid voice of the princess entered my ears. I flinched at the closeness. It was so dark; I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. I was blind to what was happening.

"Thank you, Kalia," the guy roughly holding my hand said.

"Goodbye, Sin," the princess said as we slipped through a door. The night's heavy wind slapped against the injured side of my face making me wince. Rain drops splattered onto the pajamas I was still wearing, and struck the ground hard. Lightning flashed in the sky, and thunder roared into my ears. It was a bad storm.

Through the darkness, I spotted a sleek black car. The guy dragging me now known as Sin made his way toward it. I began to get very nervous. A bad feeling hit my stomach.

"Where are you taking me!" I shouted to compete with the storm. I needed to know if it was a good or bad destination.

"You don't know how to shut up." He turned toward me, and a dark smile spread onto his pale face. His black hair was buzz cut, and the rain collected in his hair in little drops. His dark blue eyes stared at me, and I gasped in surprise. He had blue eyes… that could only mean that he was half human like Zane was.

"My name's Sin, and I was the lucky one chosen to take you to The Court of Shadows." As soon as the words past his lips, I pulled away from his hold.

"Blair, get in the car." I refused to and tried to get away with all the energy I had. It wasn't much nor was it enough.

"Gladly, you leave me no choice." His fist came forward and pain sprung from the right side of my face from his hit. Darkness fell toward me, and I collapsed onto the muddy rain soaked ground dazed.

**Hello there! I hope you all aren't going too crazy over Zane's actions :0 Ahhhh, The Court of Shadows! Thank you to all you reviewers out there! Seriously, I really appreciate your support! And thank you to all of those who favorite and story alert! :D I would love to hear your thoughts or criticisms. I hope you all have a great rest of the week! ( I have 3 tests this week and a big paper due! :( ) **

**Yensidtlaw**- hello! Haha, I know I mixed things up with that last chapter! Well, she's not in The Court of Radiance prison anymore, but who knows about The Court of Shadows… Thank you for your review!

**vampires lover forever**- Hi! Thank you for reviewing!

**yusagi710**- Hello there! Thank you! I have a feeling Zane might have a lot more scenes in the future :D haha so don't get too upset :) Thanks for reviewing!

**Tamika-** haha! Glad you enjoyed Zane's boldness :D Thank you for reviewing!

**AlexandraSterling41**- Hello! Well, this chapter shows what Zane does to Blair :/ Thanks for taking time to review!

**DJShayShayxx **- Hello there! :D Still no sign of Revenge doing well, but at least he is alive. If you didn't know what to say to Zane about him being half human and having love for Blair… I bet this chapter startled you. Yay! You're all set to rescue Blair haha. Thank you, as always, for your review! I always love them :)

**Guest**- Yeah! That was a long time of not updating for me! Ahaha! You had me cracking up while I was reading. I don't know why I had to have Blair pull away… well I do, but it was a hard thing to do myself :D Yeah, I don't know what was up with Torture :/ he's moody all the time though. Thank you for reviewing!

**SPRING BREAK NEXT WEEK! WHOA! :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven **

Darkness engulfed me as I attempted to keep calm. My back stiffened against the wall I pressed against. It was damp and unwelcoming. My heart thumped. I took long heavy breaths that echoed throughout the space. I shook as the cold made its way into my skin. I could feel my eyes intensify looking for a glimpse of light. My ears became more helpful as I listened to hushed voices. I felt as if I was in a room of never ending shadows. A murmured cry entered my ears. I could hear sniffling.

I sat against the wall for hours without moving. I was afraid of what exactly The Court of Shadows had to offer. I brushed my dirty hand against my right eye. The skin around it was sore and swollen from Sin punching me in the face. I was planning my escape attempt. My planning wasn't going well seeing that my wrist was chained to the wall with a metal hand cuff. I couldn't get anywhere. The prison cell at The Court of Radiance was heaven compared to this. I had no idea what they wanted from me.

"Blair." The voice startled me, and I jumped. Suddenly, the cuff was being removed from my wrist. He pulled me to my feet by my wrist that had been cuffed. The skin around it was irritated and bruised from me struggling against it.

"Sin, you should get me out of here," I tried to persuade him. It wasn't working. He just kept a hand latched onto my arm and tugged me from the huge dark room. A door opened in front of us and sent light shattering through the dark room. My head ached from the sudden strong lighting, and my eyes bunched together. We entered a bright hallway and took the first right into a room that had the door opened. Sin shoved me in and closed the door. I looked down at my dirty pajamas I still had on. My hands reached into my pocket, and my fingers wrapped around Revenge's ring. I glanced around the room in wonder. It was dim, and the walls were concrete. There were two plastic chairs facing one another. The ground was dirty, and I heard a drip of water fall into the room from somewhere close. It was cold. I heard the door knob twist.

"Why hello there, Blair." A six one man who looked to be in his early twenties walked in with a grin on his face. I stayed silent. He had a silver colored earring in his ear, and wore something that resembled what Zane's team wears. Zane. My heart clenched, and I had the sudden urge to cave in on myself. My hand fisted Revenge's ring tighter.

"Why don't you take a seat?" he said after I didn't respond for a minute.

"Because that would make me feel uncomfortable and I would rather stand and be comfortable," I answered in a smooth voice.

"When I say something you will be expected to conform to it, whether it is a question or a statement. So, sit down." His silver eyes glared at me in a way that told me he wasn't use to the word no.

"I would much rather stand," I answered quickly as my hand let go of Revenge's ring in my pocket, and I crossed my arms in a defending stance. His eyes were suddenly very close to mine, and his hand took my hand in his. His eyes flickered down to my hand as he held it like he was about to kiss it.

"The thing about humans," he began in a controlled tone, "is that you tend to be very breakable." He took my pointer finger in his hand and bent it back. Pain surged through my finger and crawled up my arm. I locked my jaw in place. A sigh of pain unwillingly slipped through my lips.

"So if you would like to stay uninjured do as I say and answer my questions. A simple task really." The pressure on my finger disappeared, and my uninjured hand cradled my hurt one. His arm came around my back and guided me to the plastic chair in the small room. He pushed me down into the seat.

"I feel like we have gotten off at a bad start. I haven't even introduced myself. Very rude." As he spoke I turned my head away.

"My name is Prince Sebastian. The heir to the throne of The Court of Shadows." He stopped talking as he glanced toward me.

"And you are Blair of course. I have wanted to meet you. You have gotten past both of my spies. They had both failed in transporting you here. You had Colten killed off early on, and you have killed off Fade. That last bit of news makes me a little angry, Blair." My nerves got worked up as he said that. Fade? A spy? He was so close to Zane's group. What could he have told Sebastian?

"It doesn't really make me angry," I said with raised eyebrows and a scowl. I flinched back as pain shot through my face. A small amount of blood started to pool in my mouth from Sebastian back handing me. I closed my eyes and kept my tears from falling when I opened my eyes again he was smiling at me.

"I didn't like your interruption," he stated as he clasped his hands behind his back. I held back my remark and swallowed. The taste of blood stained my mouth, and pain flooded my senses.

"Blair, there are a few questions I would like to ask you. I only want the simple answers you can provide me with." I just stared at the ground.

"What is Zane planning to do about my court starting to expose itself?" Sebastian asked as I looked up at him like he was stupid. Why would I know that?

"I don't know," I answered honestly.

"Don't lie to me, Blair." His rough hand suddenly picked up mine again. It made me want to stand up and back away.

"I'll ask you one more time." His hand took my wrist and bent it backwards. Tears started to form in my eyes from the striking pain.

"What is Zane planning?" His voice was so calm and relaxed.

"I…don't know," I said with uneven breaths. He dropped my hand. I winced.

"Interesting," he whispered as he took the seat across from me with a sigh.

"And do you know why he took you in the first place? Or what it was that brought him to you?" I stared into his silver eyes with a curious expression. I could feel my swollen lip from him backhanding me earlier. I waited for him to speak again. He didn't. He was waiting for my answer.

"No," My answer felt fragile, and I felt naive. Sebastian smirked.

"There was a certain female he was looking for, a female vampire that might be able to produce vampire offspring." Sebastian's smirk grew as my expression became even more confused. He was trying to find a girl vampire who could have vampire babies? Why in the world would he do that? It seemed so humorous to me that I almost laughed.

"Apparently, you were rumored to be the said girl, but you're only human." I thought through that. He had once thought I was this vampire girl who could have vampire babies? I smiled a little even with pain caressing my body.

"Blair, have you heard anything about this female? It is very important."

"No," I answered again truthfully. Sebastian got up from the seat and began to pace around the room. He ran his hand through his short black hair.

"I just can't figure out why Fade thought you would be useful," he remarked with frustration. He suddenly paused then turned to me.

"So why did Zane take you? Why didn't he just kill you?" He stared at me with a sense of interest. A laugh fell past his lips.

"It couldn't be because he actually likes you?" I didn't move at all. I never figured out why exactly Zane took me. He said he didn't want me to die. It didn't seem like he cared much the other day when he left me to be killed. My heart clenched. I felt uncomfortable without him around me. It felt like I was off. I could feel a small pull in my chest. The bond was pushing at me. I almost felt lost and empty without Zane near me.

"Does he, Blair?" Sebastian asked with amusement. I glimpsed at his silver eyes then looked away.

"Blair, I want an answer." He was starting to grow impatient. I had yet to find an answer. I couldn't figure it out. I thought he cared for me. I was so sure that he did, but then he pulled off the whole 'I'm not saving you' thing.

"Maybe," I let the word fall through my lips slowly and with hesitation.

"And just how much does he 'maybe' like you?" His questions were starting to aggravate me. They made me think about him, and I didn't want to. It hurt to think about him. I turned my head away from Sebastian. I didn't want to speak to him anymore. His hand was suddenly under my jaw, and he jerked my face so my eyes would meet his. His fingers pressed into my jaw bone with force. His eyes looked excited.

"No way do you have a bond," he stated. I watched him glimpse at the fear in my eyes. I tried to hold in the truth, but my eyes told him. They were bad liars.

"He doesn't care about me," I murmured as he stared into my green eyes. His smirk grew at my words.

"If you're bonded…he cares. He'll care a whole lot about what happens to you." Sebastian dropped my jaw and turned his back on me.

"And so now I know why you are useful." His hand snatched the door knob, and he left me in the small square room by myself. I looked up in a corner to see no visible camera. I was starting to miss The Court of Radiance. At least they provided me with a couch. _Stay calm, Blair._ I told myself over and over. I wanted to have a panic attack. I wiped away the blood from my lip and brushed my fingertips over my swollen eye. I jumped when Sin entered the small room.

"Bonded?" he asked with a sly grin. He was enjoying that fact.

"All this time we have spent time searching for his weakness and never found one, and now you show up. How perfect," he finished as he took my arm and pulled me to my feet.

"He left me to die when I was on the death sentence. He wasn't going to come for me. He doesn't care, and would it kill you to be gentler?" I said with my whole body wanting it to be untrue. I wanted Zane to care. He twisted my arm back behind my back, and I winced in pain. I should have never asked.

"He's bonded to you, Blair. He will always come for you," Sin said as he pushed open a familiar door. We stepped inside the forever blackened room. I could barely see my feet on the ground it was so dark. Moisture stuck to my skin from the dampness. The familiar sound of a human crying entered my ears. I was pushed onto the dirt ground. Sin took the metal cuff that was bolted into the wall and brought it to my already sore wrist. In one single motion, the cuff locked onto my wrist. I sighed in annoyance and frustration. He turned away from me with nothing else to say. I hoped that Revenge was doing better. The thought of him being in pain frustrated me. I wanted to be with him. My hand wrapped around his ring still in my pocket.

"Kill this one. The crying is something I just cannot stand any longer," I heard Sin's distant voice say after he left me alone. I heard a shuffling of feet. The crying of the girl escalated and she started to scream. She was clearly distressed and with reason. I was getting annoyed with all of Sin's threats.

"Hey-" I began to protest, but the silenced sound of a gun shooting off quieted me. The crying immediately stopped. The words stopped at the back of my throat, and I grew silent. I had to change that. Humans couldn't be treated like that.

"You two clean up this mess," I heard Sin's voice say as it grew distant. I listened for his footsteps until they disappeared in the distance. I pulled my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I squeezed my eyes shut at the shuffling of feet. Panic grew in me from the girl's death. I wanted to cry, but I also wanted to stand up and start screaming. Out was the only word that circled my mind. I fell asleep with my forehead pressed against my knees.

:::

**A **hand on my shoulder shook me awake.

"Blair." I opened my eyes to darkness and fear seeped through me. For a moment, I had forgotten where I was. The dark room took away my vision, and the unfamiliar voice spoke once more.

"Blair." My name repeated itself. I saw a shape next to me. My muscles were stiff. I stretched my arm out. The cuff on my wrist rubbed against the irritated skin on my wrist.

"Hmm?" I mumbled with aggravation.

"I have water for you." I shifted more and held out my hands. A water bottle hit my hands, and I twisted the cap off quickly. My tongue felt like sand paper in my mouth, and my throat was dry. When the cool water pooled past my lips, I took greedy gulps and only stopped once I realized I didn't know who gave me the water. What if they had poisoned it?

"Who are you?" I asked with a voice that didn't sound like my own. It had been a while since I had last spoken. My voice was raspy.

"My name is War," he said in a hushed tone.

"How long have I been here?" I asked after I finished my water bottle.

"Almost two days," he said. I froze. Two days? Two whole days I had spent sitting around and doing nothing? What had happened to Revenge? I was wasting time. I needed out. I had only gotten up a few times to go to the bathroom. I was angry with myself. I flinched back when he grabbed my wrist, but he only took the cuff off of my wrist. I sighed in relief.

"Let's get you up." He helped me up by grabbing one of my arms. I was weak. My arms hung limp at my sides, and my feet dragged on the dirt floor. There was no way of telling time in this dungeon. I walked with him blindly. The darkness stretched the room, and I couldn't find the boundaries. We stopped once we came to a door. Light shattered into the dark never ending room as the door opened. I squinted, and the back of my eyes ached from the sudden lighting.

"I'm fine," I said as I shrugged out of his hold on my arm. He was keeping it there to help support me. I didn't need his support. I glanced up at his face and froze in my spot. His silver eyes gleamed back at me. His face was angled in a familiar way, and the eyes that stared back at me looked like copies. He looked exactly like him.

"You look like Tor-" I cut myself off when I realized I didn't want to bring up his name or involve him in this court at all. This man named War looked exactly like Torture. The only difference was that War's hair was buzz cut, and his nose looked a little different.

"Do not speak," he said instantly after I had spoken. I fell into silence as I followed him down the hall. We turned into a room. A man was sitting at a table with his black boots propped on the desk. The room looked exactly like the interrogation room I had been in previously with Sebastian. The only difference was that there was a plastic table to go along with the chairs. The man sitting on one side of the table had a cocky smirk that pulled at his lips. He moved his brown bangs out of his eyes as he glanced at me.

"Your name is Blair, correct?" he asked as his eyes traced over my very dirty appearance. I didn't speak. War pulled out the chair for me. I sat down unhappily. I couldn't stop staring at War's familiar appearance. It made me miss Torture. I clasped my hands on the table and noticed my blistering wrist. My stomach growled. I felt like I had already lost weight.

"War, go get her some dinner," he announced into the small square room. War nodded his head and stepped out of the room.

"My name is Cain. I just had to see you in person to make sure you weren't the girl who could have a pure blood," he said in a tone that sounded indifferent. I didn't respond.

"I am not much like my brother, you know. He... is much more violent. They call me 'the prince with the heart'. Not a nickname to be proud of in this court," he paused in his speaking and pulled his feet off the table in a smooth motion.

"Blair, I need to know if you know anything at all about this female that could produce a pure blood. It has been a mission assigned to me to look for her, and I am growing tired," he said with a serious tone dripping into his sentence. I searched my mind for anything about such a female. My mind came up blank, and even if it hadn't, I wouldn't have told him. I would sit here and be loyal to Zane, Revenge, Dax, Torture, and all the others that treated me well. What I was starting to question was the actions of The Court of Radiance's princess releasing me. It didn't make sense. Why would she send me here? Was she trying to help The Court of Shadows?

"I don't," I mumbled unhappily.

"Very well then. That is all I have. I wish you the best with my brother's plan. Unfortunately, I'll probably see you at the spring formal." He pushed his chair back and got up. A sword was sheathed at his side. I thought about an escape attempt. My plan diminished when War walked in with my food. I couldn't stand how much he looked like Torture. He was maybe a few inches shorter. He set down a tray in front of me. It was filled with green beans, potatoes, and a small steak. I pushed the tray away.

"What if you poisoned it?" I asked.

"Why would I do that?" he remarked as he sat down on the chair across from me.

"People do crazy things," I replied.

"Blair, trust me. I would not do that." There was something about the look in his silver eyes that made me take a bite of the food. He reminded me of Torture too much. It made me trust him.

"What's up with this spring formal?" I asked as I felt the food sink to my stomach.

"Prince Sebastian is planning on taking you. It's when the courts meet in a ball like setting. They eat, dance, and talk about the future peace between the courts. It's five days from now." His words made me stop chewing. The Court of Radiance would be here? My chest filled with hope. I had to get back to Revenge. I had to get out of here. I took another bite of my food. If I went to the spring formal that was where my escape attempt would take place.

After I was done eating, War took me back to the dungeon where he locked my wrist back in the cuff. I sat on the dirt ground. Thoughts of Revenge sat with me. They plagued my mind with worry and hope.

:::

**Hello! How did you like the chapter? Nothing too crazy happened, but I have a feeling that things will get stirred up soon :D**

**Story Question- Which character would you like to see more of? **

**-Review Responses-**

**Tamika- Hello there :D You're probably my biggest update fan! haha thank you for reviewing!**

**DJShayShayxx- ****I know! Zane is confusing :/ I don't know if you're going to want to still be Sin's friend after this chapter! haha I love reading your reviews! They're some of my favorites because I like seeing the reactions that people have to the characters! Thank you for reviewing! **

**killer-kelly420- I am so happy that you decided to come read this story and join in! And I'm glad to hear that you love it! I'm in love with Zane too :D haha Ah! It's good that you can picture and feel the characters too! It seems like there is something up with the princess... Thank you for all of the compliments and for this super awesome review!**

**AlexandraSterling21- Hello! I know :/ it was hard for me to write Zane doing that! What do you think about Sin and The Court of Shadows now? :0 I mean, it still is interesting but I think it's scary! Lol, thank you for continuing to read and review!**

**Miss Kristina- Hi there! Thank you for reviewing on chapter 10 and chapter 8! Chapter 8 was one of my favorite chapters I've written, so I'm happy you liked that one! It was nice to hear from you! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter as well! :D **

**Emmalea- Hey there! I hope this chapter lets you get more footing on the whole princess and Court of Shadows conflict! I'm glad you have faith in Zane still! Someone is holding on haha. I'm sensing some Zane time in the next chapter... XD Thank you for reviewing! **

**lover in the shadow- Hello :) haha I'm not sure if I can tell you who exactly Blair will end up with :D I'll keep Zane in mind though! haha, thank you for your review! **

**ERB000- Hi! :D Thank you for your reiview on chapter 3 as well as the one on chapter 10! I really appreciate it! Here is some MORE! :P haha **

Thank you for all of the support!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve **

My dirty finger tips brushed over the white material of the dress. The dress fit tightly on the top half of my body and fanned out at my waist; it stopped just before my knees. I was dressed for the spring formal. I had been told it was a party when the courts meet and sign new contracts. When I changed out of my pajamas and into the white dress, I put Revenge's ring in my bra to conceal it. I didn't want someone to take it from me. His ring made me feel more secure. The Court of Radiance was here today.

I stood in line with a group of around fifteen other human girls between the ages of sixteen and twenty five. I desperately wanted to save them from The Court of Shadows. We all had the same white dress on and the same black heels on our feet. The only difference between the other girls and me was my physical appearance. The girls who stood in line with me had their makeup on precisely. Their faces were flawless, and lip gloss shined on their lips. Their hair was all pulled back in perfect tight buns. They were clean, and they smelled good. I did not.

My brown hair hung on my shoulders limply. I hadn't taken a shower in almost a week. It was greasy and gross looking. Dirt collected itself on my skin from sitting on the floor of the dark endless room I thought of as a dungeon. My skin looked shades darker in some places. My face was free of makeup and splotched with dirt. A purple and yellow bruise surrounded my eye where a guard had punched me in the face a couple of days ago because I tried to slide my wrist out of the cuff.

This spring formal was my new escape attempt plan. My body ached. I ate only three times during the week. I felt dizzy, and worn out. I lost weight I didn't need to lose. I was too skinny. I looked down at the cut on my wrist. It was from the metal cuff that chained me to the wall. I irritated my skin to the point where it blistered and bled in some places. I was a wreak.

He was here. I could sense his presence; I felt more relaxed. The bond stopped pulling at me; it was like a void had been filled. It felt right. Nervousness hit my stomach at the thought of seeing him. I needed to see him. His name took the majority of my thoughts as I sat in the darkness for days. It was hard being separated from him. My body felt hollow and lost. I needed him.

The woman who dressed all of the girls and helped with their hair and makeup walked down the line fixing things on some of the girls. Our task was simple. We were to walk around with trays of blood and other food after the first hour of the party. It was a short task. If vampires gestured to us we were to go over and aid them in getting whatever it was they wanted. If we were to act out in any way it would result in death. As the around forty year old woman past me, she whispered to me.

"I'm so sorry." Her voice was soft. I smiled at her because I didn't want her to think it was her fault for me looking like I did. We were given trays as we stood in line next to a door. Every few minutes, the woman would open the door, and a girl would slip through with her tray. She didn't want us to all march in at once. Classical music seeped through the walls and into the hall we stood in. After our tray was full, we were to come back through the very same door we entered. I held my tray and waited until I was on deck. My name being whisper made me twist around.

"Blair, I have one last thing to give you before you head out," Sin said as he grabbed my hand to make me face him.

"You," he said as he pointed to the woman, "take her tray for a moment." She walked over quickly and took the tray from my hands. I stood there facing Sin with confusion. His blue eyes were so alike Zane's but so unlike his at the same time. They searched over me. Zane's eyes were like ice; they were piercing and strong. When I looked at Sin, I saw those same traits, but Zane's eyes had softness to them. They held forgiveness. Sin's blue eyes didn't hold forgiveness. His smile wasn't friendly.

"Someone is going to be very happy to see you," he said with amusement. With a sudden quickness the side of my face was backhanded so hard I bent over and clapped my hand over my cheek. My mouth pooled with blood, and my bottom lip cracked open. I gasped.

"Now… Perhaps he will be a little upset." Sin sounded happy about hurting me. I couldn't understand him. How did he like giving others pain? I wanted to be strong, so I stood up straight as quickly as I could. I took a moment to compose myself.

"Is that all you have for me?" I asked as blood trickled down my lip and onto my chin. I wiped it off with the back of my hand. Blood quickly gathered up once again.

"No, but that will have to wait for later," he answered. He took a step closer to me. In a slow motion, he took his thumb and wiped blood off my bottom lip. I tried to keep my expression neutral as he brought his thumb to his mouth. He licked the blood off of his finger. A smirk crept up onto his face.

"Have fun out there, Blair," he added before he turned around and walked away. My lip was swollen. I imagined how beat up I looked. My heart jumped as my name was called. I turned around to face the woman. Her brown eyes were sad as she handed me the tray. I balanced it as best as I could. My arms were so weak. I hoped the drinks would go quickly.

The woman opened the door for me. Light music flowed into my ears in a relaxing tone. The ball room had only a few people laughing and dancing on the dance floor. Most of the guests sat at the circle tables that were laid out. I was shocked to see some guests eating. Surely they weren't human, and they weren't vampires so what were they?

I got distracted by the circular ceiling over the dance floor and stopped walking without noticing. It was beautiful. The silver and gold coloring made the room feel welcoming. I didn't know why I was surprised. I was expecting a dark party not classical music and a ball room. Everyone was dressed up, and the bright room clearly showed my distressed appearance. I felt awkward but uncaring at the same time. Those people deserved to see how they treated me. I hoped it bothered them too. Sin sent me in here looking horrible for a reason. Why would he do that? A copper taste sat in my mouth. Fresh blood. A hand took a glass from my tray. The weight of the tray became a little lighter.

"Oh, hello there, Blair," Sin's voice entered my ears again after no more than two minutes after I saw him. I stayed silent as I searched the room for exits. I needed to come up with my escape attempt. Sin's persistent voice interrupted my planning.

"I think Prince Sebastian wants a drink, Blair." I followed Sin's eyes over to where the royals sat. There table was up three steps from the regular floor. They all sat next to one another and looked over the party. I spotted Sebastian with a bored expression and papers in front of him. All of the royals had papers in front of them. My arm was already tired from holding the tray. My body was so weak. My eyes were dry and tired. My muscles were flimsy. I just wanted a nice meal and sleep. I sighed and decided to just go give Sebastian a drink so Sin would get off me. Then perhaps I could find a way out. The heels hurt my feet as I walked over to the royal table.

I felt his eyes on me before I saw him. My heart jumped in my chest. I turned my head. I watched his iced blue eyes lock onto me; his stare never strayed. His hands were clasped in front of him. His jaw clenched together. Dax was standing beside him, and Torture was standing on his other side. Torture's black hair was down and not pulled back. The stands of his hair hung in his face. Tortures arm was out a little in front of Zane. I wiped the blood away from my cracked lip and pushed myself up to stand taller. All three of the assassins were standing against a wall next to where the royals of The Court of Radiance sat. I had to pass The Court of Radiance's table in order to make my way up the stairs to Sebastian. Watching Zane's haunted eyes follow my slow steps, I realized the purpose of my appearance. They wanted to upset Zane. I had to keep him calm.

My arm muscle was starting to ache from the weight of the tray. A fake smile graced my lips as I past The Court of Radiance royals. As I passed by Zane, I watched his iced blue eyes start to change. Anxiousness hit my stomach. I wanted to badly to go to his side. I ignored that urge. I couldn't get them in trouble with the courts. I stared into Zane's unstable eyes transfixed. Red crept into his iris. Zane's hands fell from their clasped position and were fisted at his sides. Torture's arm pushed against Zane's chest, reminding him to keep composure.

I took an unsure step up the first stair. It was hard to keep my balance in heels and tired. I made it up and the royals brought their attention to me. My heels clicked on the black tile as I made my way toward Sebastian.

"Sin said you would like a drink." I held the tray out in front of his seat. A smirk fell onto his face. His silver eyes took in my appearance.

"Why thank you, Blair. You look rather lovely tonight." He let the words slip past his lips in a mocking tone. His hand reached forward and grabbed a glass. The tray lightened. His hand reached my free hand and his lips brushed against my hand in a soft kiss. His eyes were not on me, but they were staring in a direction over my shoulder. I turned my head to see Zane with one foot stepped forward. Dax's hand was on Zane's shoulder. Torture's hand was still pressed against his chest and holding him back. I took a deep breath and threw my eyes back on Sebastian who had a smile on his lips.

"You are dismissed. Why don't you go say hi to Zane?" he mocked as I turned away from him. I wanted to see him. I just had to decide if I should or not. Would it make Zane worse? A door was next to Torture; it was only a couple of feet away. I made my decision. I stepped down the stairs with only four glasses left on my tray. My arms still ached though. My stomach growled with hunger. I made my way towards Zane with butterflies dancing in my stomach. The plan was initiated.

"Zane," his name left my lips in a wanting sort of manor, it surprised me. I stopped in front of him. My heart squeezed when I glanced at his sharp face.

"My human," he replied with his red eyes shifting over me. The question I was afraid to know the answer to became voiced.

"Revenge?" I just said his name. I knew they would all catch on.

"Still has not woken. Otherwise, fine," Zane answered. Talking to Zane seemed to help. Blue swirled back into his eyes. I glanced over at Torture then over at Dax. Dax gave me a worried expression and a sad smile.

"Hello, beautiful," he said lacking his normal excitement. I thought I was looking anything but beautiful at the moment.

"Why hello there, Dax. You still owe me three café trips," I said trying to lighten the mood. My lip had just stopped bleeding. It felt swollen.

"You still owe me a week of slavery," he responded glancing at my worn out expression. I smiled.

"My human," Zane's voice was low, "your current state of wellbeing angers me."

"I know, it's sort of crazy cuz I thought you guys were bad," I tried to make it a joke, but no humor came from it. I glanced toward the door beside Torture.

"Who did it?" I glimpsed up at his eyes again which were starting to flood with a very bright red. He stared at my black eye.

"It isn't important, Zane." I didn't want him to get angry. My eyes hit the door beside Torture again. I needed to get out of here. If Zane wasn't going to help me last time, he wasn't going to help me this time.

"Don't you dare," Zane's voice was soft and forceful.

"Don't I dare what?" I asked as I saw his eyes pierce through me.

"My human, if you decide to walk out that door they will kill you. They are not like us. We are not allowed to leave our positions. We will not be able to help you." His hand almost grabbed my wrist, but it stopped half way to me.

He was going to leave me to die at The Court of Radiance. The thought made my lips turn into a grin. He wasn't going to help me, and that's what I needed to prove to Sin and Sebastian. They needed to know they couldn't use me to get to Zane.

"My vampire," I said in a smooth whisper, "I'm not really one to follow orders." He seemed taken aback by what I had called him. He finally caught meaning to my words, but there was nothing he could do. To me, getting out was worth the risk.

"Now, if you would excuse me," I said as I stepped away. I glanced over at Zane who looked furiously at me. If I attempted to leave and get hit or injured for punishment, and Zane doesn't interfere they will realize I'm not his weakness. I hoped they would assign me to a different task once they knew Zane didn't care. I'd rather be cooking meals in the kitchen for this court rather than chained to a wall. It would be easier to escape that way. I'd be in a better position. I was also going to really try and escape, but if I failed then that was my sort of plan B. The only problem was that I didn't know how sever my punishment would be. Zane said it himself. If something happened to me he wasn't going to interfere.

The three were standing on guard duty for The Court of Radiance royals. I spotted the princess at the table. They were all reading over papers just as The Court of Shadows was. She glanced up at me, and a smirk fell onto her lips. I narrowed my eyes at her in confusion. I didn't understand why she had helped me…or why she had given me to Sin. Somehow she was talking to The Court of Shadows. She broke eye contact with me and glanced down at the papers once again.

I glanced over at Sebastian who wasn't paying attention to me or the room. He was reading the papers. I glimpsed over the room that I seemed invisible to. I just had to slip through the door. It was simple. I hoped it lead somewhere close to an exit. There had to be an entrance somewhere near if guests were here. I stopped by the door I eyed earlier and set the tray on the ground. The door didn't even have a code pad. I smiled. I twisted the knob and stepped through the door.

Two guards were on the other side. There was a ten foot long hall way then two double doors which I assumed led outside. They stared at me with shock, and I glanced back at the door shutting behind me. Just as I thought the door was going to click shut it was pushed open quietly. A familiar figure slipped through.

"Blair, Blair, Blair." Sin shook his head as he said my name in disappointment. I stood still afraid of what might happen. I wanted to escape so badly. Just through those huge double doors the outside world was waiting for me. The guards relaxed when they saw Sin and stayed in their positions.

"Escaping leads to the death penalty, Blair." His smile grew as he looked at me. I didn't show him any fear.

"You're not going to kill me," I announced not fully believing the words.

"It isn't death you should be afraid of, Blair. It's pain." His words sent the chills crawling down my back. I swallowed loudly.

"For instance," he announced as he grabbed my hand in his. With a single jerk on my finger I heard a sickening pop. I wanted to cry out in pain, but I contained it. Barely. I whimpered as tears of pain gathered in my eyes. "That was a small amount of pain. I only dislocated your left pointer finger. I could have easily broken it." Pain shot from my hand; it was hard to hold my tears back. I wanted to cradle my hand, but I didn't want to give him that pleasure.

"Or I could always add additional damage to my previous work." Before I could recover from the pain in my hand, he backhanded me exactly where he had only an hour ago. My lip split open once again and the taste of copper collected in my mouth. I stood up straight and swung a punch in his general direction. I leaned all my weight into the punch, just as my brother Jason taught me. I was suddenly swinging at empty space, because he was a vampire and much faster. His laugh filled the small entrance way.

"How funny," Sin said as his blue eyes searched over me. I saw a knife gripped in his hand. I pressed my back against the wall. I needed to get back through that door and into the party once again. I inched my way toward the door as his smirk grew.

"You are not getting out of here until I allow you to." His hand was suddenly running down my swollen face. I stopped moving.

"I can see why Zane likes you. You have this will power that is so strong." He held my neck with one of his hands. I struggled in his hold as I lost oxygen. He was chocking me. Sin's free hand went to my arm with the knife. He drew the blade across my skin without cutting into it with a smile on his face. He was teasing me. I tried kicking out at him and failed miserably. The blade ran down my right shoulder, and then at my elbow, the blade pressed into my skin. Blood accumulated in a huge drop around the cut. I couldn't control my tears anymore. The water in my eyes collected until it flowed over the rim of my eye. Sin's sadist smile grew as he drew the blade through my skin. My lungs stated to get the cracking feeling in them. I needed air. I needed it right at that moment. He withdrew the blade after the cut marked from my elbow half way to my wrist.

Blood flowed down my arm and hit the white tile under my feet. His hand let go of my throat, and I coughed as I gasped in air. Tears fell from my eyes. The blood leaked from my arm, and I didn't know what to do. The pain was too much. I took in air greedily. I almost fell to the floor, but Sin's arm caught me by my waist.

"Blair, I'm still not done conversing with you." I tried to pull away from him and walk toward the door. The strong red blood soaked onto the white dress I was in. With a sudden shock to my heart I could feel him through the bond. I could feel him so so so strongly. My heart ached, because he was all I wanted.

"Come on, stand back up." I tried falling to the ground to make him unhappy and be rebellious, but he held me up. My eyes wandered to the two guards still standing at their posts and watching with no emotion. Pain surged through my body, and I wanted to scream so baldy. My right arm was covered in blood, and it ran down onto my hand before dripping onto the ground.

Sin pushed my back against the wall once again. I brought up my leg to try and kick him but missed completely. I lost my balance when I kicked and almost fell, but Sin's hands held me up.

"I just love it. You don't give up," Sin said with that stupid smile on his face. I felt like a doll being tossed around. His hand held the knife, and I pressed further into the wall. I was so weak. I was malnourished and losing blood. I was starting to see the room tilt. My head tilted as dizziness swirled around me. His knife lingered over my left arm this time.

"I can watch as you just bleed out on the white floor-" His hands were torn away from me, and I fell to the floor without the support of Sin's hands. Blood streamed down my right arm where the large cut was. I took my injured left hand and tried to hold the skin together as if by doing so the skin would mend together.

I glanced up at him. My breath caught in my throat just because his presence felt so strong to me. It made my heart thump in my chest. His silver hair fell into his bright red eyes as he pinned Sin on the floor. He was out for blood. Zane held the silver knife that Sin held to my skin just a few minutes ago. The guards snapped out of their position and began running toward Zane. The knife left Zane's hand in a single second and dug into the skull of one of the guards. He stopped after a few more steps then slowly fell forward. The other guard glanced over at the other one falling and suddenly he was falling with a knife dug into the very same spot. I realized why Zane was the leader of the group. Zane's distraction with the guards gave Sin the chance he needed to push up on Zane's chest and throw Zane off him. Zane flew back and landed on his feet. My fingers shook as I started to remove the clasp on the high heels I was wearing. I needed them off in order to get up. Zane had come to help me. My heart clenched. I was wrong.

"Why don't we do this the old fashion way?" Sin asked as he removed a sword from underneath the long black jacket he wore which was so similar to Zane's. Zane quickly drew out his sword with the metal scrapping sound entering the small entrance way. Their swords clashed together as I hurriedly removed one of my shoes. At any moment I knew the guards were going to come running in. In triumph I managed to get the other heel off of my foot.

I glimpsed back up at Zane and Sin. Zane had Sin pinned against the wall, and Sin's sword was on the ground a few feet away. Sin's dark blue eyes had red in them now.

"Apologize to her," Zane's angered voice said those three words. It surprised me. I used the wall to get to my feet. Zane held the sword to a bloody faced Sin. Sin just smirked without saying a word.

"Say it!" Zane screamed at him as his fist made contact with Sin's face. Blood spattered onto the wall from Zane's punch. Blood ran down Sin's face as his smile still held. I winched as Zane's fist came up repeatedly and hit Sin over and over again.

The door flew open. Five Court of Shadow guards ran at Zane. The classical music from the party was still playing in the background, and since the door was open it echoed into the small hall. Zane dropped Sin and turned to the five guards. Zane was death. In one hand he held a gun, and in the other he kept his sword. He was able to take down three of the guards before more came filing in. He didn't give up the fight. Guards were dropping down and blood was spraying everywhere. A bullet struck Zane in the chest, but he kept fighting.

He disappeared from my view as guards crammed themselves in the hall. I used the wall to get to my feet. I stumbled with dizzy vision. The fighting came to a halt, and the music in the background ceased. I finally came to see him. I took slow steps forward, trying to keep my balance. I coughed and fell forward a little. I pushed myself back up. Zane's body lay motionless on the bloodied white tiled ground. His silver hair was in a pool of blood from all of the downed guards.

The eyes in the hall watched as I limped over to him. I kneeled on the ground and ran my hands over his cheek. I pushed his silver hair out of his face. Zane's eyes were closed. I glanced around to see Sin starting to stand up where Zane had dropped him. Bodies covered the ground in a mess. I ran my bloody hands over Zane's chest. I tried to pull a knife out of his shoulder, but with my injuries I was unable to. I grunted as I tried and failed again. A tear drifted down my face as I glanced at Zane's bloody body.

I glanced around the circle of people that were surrounding us. At this point, people from the party had come in to see what had happened.

"Stay away!" I shouted at the crowd as I tried to shield his body. I shook his shoulders.

"Zane!" I yelled trying to get him to open his eyes. I knew he was alive. It was the silver bullets they had probably used that made him unresponsive. I was furious because he was _mine, _and they had hurt him. I had never felt such raw anger before.

"Don't fear death now, Blair." Sin's smile still held as blood dripped down from his face and to his chin. I turned toward Zane's still body. He had cuts and wounds everywhere.

"Everyone clear out of the hall!" Sebastian's voice held authority. People started unwillingly leaving the hall. I looked down at my own cut and made a quick decision. Zane's blood had healed me. Could mine heal him? I hurriedly opened his mouth, and with no hesitation squeezed my arm so that blood ran down and dripped into his mouth.

"Grab her!" Sin called out and guards pulled on my arms. I grunted and tried with the little strength I had left to pull away.

"Don't touch him," I said quietly to Sin as the guards started leading me toward the door. It hurt to be separated from Zane. I needed to be near him, but I was in so much pain and my vision was growing spotted.

"And why can't I touch him?" Sin said as he mockingly reached a hand out toward him.

"Because he's mine," I said in a soft but strong whisper. I couldn't hold on to reality any more. My vision grew black as I heard Sin's laugh echo. Blood coated my dreams.

:::

**Hello there, everyone! Here is a quicker update than usual! I've got two tests, two quizzes, and a speech this week :/ wish me luck lol I hope you all are getting better luck with your school work! What do you all think will happen next OR what do you want to happen next? **

*****Thank You to Every One Who Reviews*****

**Lovesfairytale**- ahhhh you're right! Zane wasn't very happy to see Blair there at all :O haha loved that you were able to guess that. Thank you for reviewing!

**yusagi710**- Hey :) Thank you for taking some time to review and give me some motivation! I really appreciate it!

**Miss Kristina**- Hello! Awwww :( I hate when that happens! That's happened to me before too, oddly enough I read a story with one of the main characters spelled Zain, and it was hard for me to read lol. I don't think Cain will be in the story tooooo much! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

**DJShayShayxx**- Hello there! :D Awww I know :/ it's still poor Blair :/ Hopefully I can give her something positive to do soon! Hehe, I love that you're loving War! Prince Cain is one of the better Court of Shadow's princes so I can see a little bit of tolerance for him. I really appreciate your reviewing on all the chapters! Your reviews are some of the ones I look forward to the most! Thank you :)

**Forever-Buckskin**- Hi! I'm so SO excited that you said that it was getting great! One of my biggest fears involves people not liking where the story is going and then they stop reading, so I was very happy to receive your review! Thank you for reading and taking the time to review!

**Katie0616-** Oh my goodness :) Your review made me feel wonderful! It's awesome to hear that someone checks back every day! Hehe, I'm happy to have another Zane fan! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

**Tamika**- Hello! :) It's always good to get a review from you! Thank you for always taking time to write one! It really motivates me!

**Catsrcute 567**- Well hello there! I am so happy that you took some time out of your day to review! Believe me when I say that I value every review I get, which is why I take the time to write back and communicate with every one! :D Thank you SO much for the compliments! I love description! Ah, I'm so happy you mentioned my description lol Thank you again for reviewing and reading!

**Have a great rest of your week, every one!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen **

Water. Ice cold water hit my skin and made me gasp. As I blinked, a drop of water fell from my eyelash and streamed down my cheek. I immediately hated whoever just woke me up because I was in pain. My left cheek was pressed up against a cold cement floor. I coughed as I shifted my arm a little. They hadn't cleaned or looked after my injuries. My arm was covered in blood, and a long cut extended down the inside of my right arm. The memory of Sin's knife pressing into my skin made me wince. The cut was deep.

"Look who has joined us, Zane." Sin's voice made me want to curl in on myself and try to disappear, but hearing Zane's name made my eyes open wide.

"How are we feeling, Blair." I coughed again as I tried to get a grip on where I was. I wasn't going to let my condition make him feel like he was winning. My whole body shook.

"Wonderful," My raspy voice let out the word slowly. I used my left arm to push myself up. I groaned when my dislocated finger had pressure put on it.

"Be careful, Blair. You wouldn't want to hurt yourself."

"You've already done that," I said as I sat up. My insides turned over when my eyes caught sight of him. His wrists were locked directly to the wall in silver cuffs. Blood ran down his wrists; the contact of silver on skin was too much. I knew silver keeps a vampire from healing immediately. His ankles were bound to the concrete wall he stood straight against, but they weren't as bad as his wrists; he had sweat pants on that shielded him from direct contact. His shirt was off, and a thick chain of silver hung around his neck and brushed against his muscles. Wounds bleed out where the silver touched his fragile skin. His blue eyes had a small tint of red in them as he glanced at me. Blood masked part of his sharp face. Our eyes connected until Sin spoke again.

"Zane, Blair says she doesn't know anything at all. Is that true?" Sin's voice was mocking. Zane didn't answer. His eyes fell on me once again. Something had shifted in our bond. It was stronger. I could sense the way he was looking at me. I recalled giving him my blood. His look had a deep feeling placed in it, but I couldn't seem to figure out what exactly that feeling was. It seemed like I could figure it out, but an imaginary wall was blocking me. A splintering feeling hit my chest as I took in his injured appearance.

"Yes," Zane answered late. I so badly wanted to get up and rush to his aid. I couldn't stand sitting there and feeling like he was helpless. Zane was too strong for what was happening. My mind couldn't seem to wrap around the idea of Zane being trapped. Zane was the hunter, not the hunted.

"But… you of course know everything." Sin's voice was excited.

"I will not betray my court." Zane's head lifted as he spoke and his eyes shifted away from me and toward Sin. I pushed my back against the concrete wall behind me. I had lost a lot of blood. I was weak.

"Even if it has betrayed you?" Sin asked. I saw Zane's jaw clench.

"I knew that Fade was a traitor," Zane stated and chose to glimpse at me with a sense of meaning. If Zane knew that Fade was a traitor…then he had to know Revenge and I had killed Fade for a reason. He had to know. So why didn't he help me? Why did he leave me in The Court of Radiance cell waiting for my death sentence? I was just as confused as to why he decided to help me when Sin was hurting me. Why did he help at that moment and not when I was on death row? Zane's actions centered around my confusion. I wanted answers so badly.

"So you did? How interesting." Sin's hands were clasped behind his back as he paced back and forth in the small square room.

"But," Sin said as he stopped pacing and turned to face Zane. His lips started to pull up into a smile. "did you know the Princess who your court holds so dear is a traitor?" His words shocked me.

"Do not accuse her of such things." Zane was trying to dismiss the thought. Suddenly, I saw the truth in it. The actions of the last two weeks fell into place. Realization clicked on, and I answered some of my questions.

The princess had let me out of the cell. Why would she do that? Because Fade had told Sin that I was valuable in some way. Somehow Sin communicated with the Princess and told her to hand me over. And why was I valuable? Because the man chained to the wall across from me cared for me. The bond was stronger now. I could sense what he was feeling when he glanced at me. Why did it matter that Zane cared about me? Because now I was Zane's weakness. Perhaps Zane didn't care if he had to die for his court, but by the angry glint in his eyes when they scanned over me I knew he cared if I did. I wasn't something he could sacrifice. I was a danger to Zane's security. If Sin asked Zane questions about The Court of Radiance and held me captive, Zane might answer them to ensure my safety.

Why would the Princess become a traitor? What was in it for her? And why didn't she have the knowledge Zane did?

"Zane, the Princess is the only reason you're standing here today. Princess Kalia was kind enough to give me this girl that you find so amusing." Sin took steps toward me. He stopped only a foot away from my tired body. I wanted to stand so badly, but I was dizzy.

"All those years of your heatless actions, all of the killings that you proceeded with, all of the countless times I found myself wondering if you had feelings at all…Frankly, I was disappointed to find you had a new weakness. The Court of Radiance isn't supposed to be as cruel as you are, Zane. It was inspiring. And all for a human girl…" Sin's blue eyes searched over me. It was the most inappropriate time to do so, but I laughed. It bubbled up from my throat and empty into the small space.

"What is it that you find so funny, Blair. If I were you I wouldn't be laughing at all." I was laughing because Sin was overly dramatic and he had brought up the whole heartless vampire thing I just found funny. I looked past Sin and to Zane. I saw his head tilt to the side in the way it always did whenever I did something amusing; he couldn't figure me out. I didn't answer Sin's question, I only stopped my laughter.

"Don't you feel his pain, Blair?" Sin asked me as he glanced over his shoulder at a very tensed Zane.

"I have heard from others that through the bond a pair can feel each other's pain, but I don't think you would laugh if you know what he was going through right now." Any traces of a lingering smile disappeared from my face. I couldn't feel Zane's pain at all. I could sense his pain and his emotions, but I couldn't feel them. We were in a bad situation. A horrible one. Sin was suddenly absent from where he had been standing close to me and he had appeared next to Zane.

"Fade told me that you were looking for the carrier. Blair is obviously not a vampire, so she is eliminated from that. I need the vampire women who can produce vampire offspring, Zane. There are some who even say that there are two carriers, and they are twins. Who are they?"

"I don't know," Zane said. I watched in horror as Sin pulled out a knife and stabbed Zane on his right side. My heart fell at the sight, and I hurriedly pushed myself up from the floor using the wall as support. Dizziness swarmed around me as I stood on my two feet. Sin removed the knife only to stab him on his right side again. Blood collected and ran down the side of his body. I watched as a blood trickled down and fell to the floor.

"Do you know the answer now?" Sin asked as he kept the knife in Zane's side. I was going to tear Sin apart. I wanted to kill him. I didn't care how much blood I had to spill. I needed him to be dead because he had just hurt him. Zane's red eyes met mine as he said the one word.

"No." Although he was answering Sin's question, his eye contact told me _no, Blair. Stay there._ I pushed myself away from the wall. I was never good at listening. I only took one step forward before I dropped to one knee. I was too weak to walk. My insides screamed at me. I was so sure I was going to throw up, but I didn't. As Sin stabbed him a third time, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. Why couldn't Zane just tell him! Why in the world was he suffering so much for this carrier?

"Zane, just tell him!" I couldn't take him getting hurt anymore. It broke my heart.

"Listen to the girl, Zane," Sin added.

"I…can't," Zane replied as his head hung in a way that his eyes faced the ground. Sin brought back the knife and was about to stab him for the fourth time.

"Wait! Stop it!" I screamed with my voice scratching my throat. I looked toward my injured wrist when I felt a sudden pull. I was chained to the wall too. I just hadn't noticed until just then.

"Yes, Blair?" Sin held the knife in front of Zane whose chest was rising and falling with labored breaths. Blood trickled down his body and onto the floor.

"I just…" I trailed off trying to find words to distract him with. Sin turned to me with Zane forgotten for the moment.

"I've heard you've got two brothers. Ahhh.. What were their names…Jason? Does that sound familiar?"

"Don't you dare." I wanted to cry. There was no way he was dragging my brothers into this.

"That sounds like a challenge, Blair." Sin's hand clutched onto my arm and pulled me to my feet. A sigh of pain past through my lips. My body hurt so badly. All of the sudden, I started to feel Zane's pain start to sink into me. I was starting to physically feel it.

A searing pain hit my left side, and I screamed in shock. The pain pierced through my body and sent my heart racing. My eyes slowly dropped down to my side. Sin had just stabbed me.

"Blair!" Zane's protesting yell felt muffled in my ears. The sound of my quick heart beat drowned out the sounds around me.

"It's her!" Zane continued to yell, and I heard a grunt. Sin lazily dropped my body to the floor. My body smacked against the concrete and fell in a heap. Their voices only seemed like whispers, but I knew their voices were loud. I wanted to fall asleep. My body felt numb.

"Zane, who is it?"

"I just cannot-" The sound of chains hitting the concrete wall made my green eyes open. Zane was pulling against the chains trying to free himself; his red eyes were on me.

"I'll stab her again, Zane," Sin said as he took a small step toward me.

"She's the fucking carrier!" Zane screamed as he pulled against the chains binding him to the wall. Sin's eyes cast toward me.

"The human?"

"Unchain me now!" I never heard Zane so angry.

"Blair is the carrier?"

"She's dying! Blair! Stay awake, Blair!" My name leaving his lips felt weird. It was relaxing and nice. I heard the creaking of the door opening somewhere close by me. When Zane spoke again he seemed relieved.

"War, kill Sin then unchain me from this wall!" Zane's voice was growing softer like I was turning down the volume.

"Yes, Zane," I heard War's kind voice.

"I have my spies too, Sin." Zane's voice sounded like a whisper. My eye sight started to fade. A hand moved strands of hair out of my eyes. A hand shook my shoulder. I heard fighting somewhere in the background.

"Blair, stay with me. My name is Ash. I'm here to help you. I need you to stay awake, Blair." I willed my eyes to stay open as my numb body wanted to crash. I could only see a blurred outline. It was a struggle to keep my eye lids open.

"Blair, Dax and Torture are here." I liked those names. They made me happy. I wanted to stay hi, but the sound only came out as a grunt.

"Come on, beautiful, stay awake." Dax's hand wrapped around mine.

"Move!" Zane's commanding voice flooded the room. Dax's hand was ripped from mine. I frowned.

"My human, I'm so sorry." Zane's voice was so caring and soft I had to open my eyes to just get a glimpse of him. I heard the unsheathing of a knife.

"Zane, I'm not really sure if that's a good idea. If-" Dax was cut off.

"Do not speak," Zane said as my head was suddenly lifted from the floor. I groaned. I didn't want to move; I just wanted to lay there and fall asleep. My mouth was being opened, and the familiar taste of his blood started to fill my mouth. My eyes squinted open to see Zane holding his bleeding wrist over me.

"My human, you have to drink it…you have to." His voice sounded so broken. I began to swallow. Relief immediately spread through my system. The skin on his wrist made contact with my lips, and I started to take greedier gulps. Somewhere in the back of my mind I realized I was drinking blood, but it didn't seem important at the moment. All that seemed important was survival, and I was feeling more alive.

"Zane, tell her to stop." I knew that distant voice, but I didn't stop to place it.

"Zane! Stop!" His wrist was pulled from me, and I groaned in displeasure. I was starting to feel so much better.

"Ok, Zane, let me carry her," a soft yet deep voice announced.

"Torture, if you come anywhere near to touching her I will kill you." Zane's voice was right above me. With closed eyes I reached out to him. I needed to touch him. His bare arms wrapped around me and brought me to his bloodied chest.

"Zane, do you realize how weak you currently are?" I heard Torture ask.

"I'm not weak." I leaned my head against Zane's chest as he answered. He began to walk with me in his arms. My mind was starting to drift off. Zane suddenly stumbled with me still wrapped tightly in his arms. He fell to his knees.

"Zane, give me the girl." Tortures arms wrapped around me and pulled me out of Zane's strong grasp. Reluctantly, he let go.

"Torture, I need her." Zane's voice was so soft.

"Dax, War, help Zane," Torture called. Dax and War rushed over and grabbed a hold of each one of his arms. They pulled Zane up from the floor. I closed my eyes.

"Rest, human." Torture's words sent me into a deep sleep.

:::

**Hi there everyone : ) **OMG Blair's a carrier! (girl who can have vampire offspring) Did you see that one coming? It seems like these last chapters only add more questions on to the previous ones… I know I have a lot to answer in the next few chapters! If there's a question that I haven't answered and it's really annoying you let me know! I'll add it to my list of questions I need to answer if it isn't on there already : ) haha. I expect this story to be around 20ish chapters. I'm not really sure though. **THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY LOVELY REVIEWERS! **And of course thank you to everyone who favorites/ story alerts this. You are all AMAZING!

*****Review Responses*****

**Dire Heart-** hello! :D I hope this chapter was exciting for you too! I loved being able to release new information, like I was able to in this chapter! Thank you for reviewing!

**Aimee**- Awwww :) your review made me feel so warm and happy! I really like my characters too! I don't know how I'm going to say goodbye to the characters when I'm done! Thank you for your review!

**Miss Kristina**- And in this chapter, Sin uses her to get to Zane… in a much more violent way though. Thank you for always stopping to write a review! I really appreciate it! :)

**lover in the shadow**- I am ecstatic that you mentioned Torture! Not many people do, so that made me smile. We shall see if I can get a smile out of him before this story ends! It would be tricky to do! You found out this chapter about the carrier girl! It was so fun being able to release that it is Blair! Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Lovepaw**- hello there! I'm glad that you love it! I love writing it, so it's always nice to hear that! Thanks for reviewing! It means a lot :)

**DJShayShayxx**- Hey! I love seeing how much you like/dislike some of the characters haha Zane can be a scary guy sometimes! But he has to be if he is a leader of an assassination group I guess! Happy he is back in your good books :D You must of loved the ending of this chapter with Sin then if you dislike Sin so much! Aha I miss when Dax isn't in a chapter too! He's such a fun character. Thank you for your review! They are all awesome, and I love hearing from you. I hope you have a good week!

**Lena**- *blushes* thank you for all of the compliments! You don't know how happy I was to receive your review! I sure hate making unoriginal stories, so I hope this one is anything but! Haha, I really tried to go for a different type of story, and this is the furthest I've ever gotten in writing a story! Usually I get done with the first few chapters, and I stop. I'm hoping to get to writing a book one day! I'll probably major in Biology and minor in English! Do my work and write a book on the side! Ahhh made me so happy to hear that you read all of it through in one sitting and enjoy the characters! Thank you so very much for taking the time to review! It was so nice to hear from you!

**P.S. If there is something you don't like about the plot or story in general let me know! In a constructive criticism way of course : ) **

**-Cupcake **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen **

"Come on, beautiful wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Bllllllllaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrr…wake up." My eyes slowly opened. The first thing I thought about was the man with silver hair and iced blue eyes. The room's light was dim. I slowly turned my head to the voice beside me. Dax's silver eyes looked at me with excitement.

"Well finally! It really is about time, Blair. I was so bored sitting here by myself. I, of course, volunteered to make sure you were ok and said I'd watch you. Zane said I was unable to leave this chair. I sacrificed my freedom today for you, Blair. I'm too caring for my own good." _Zane. _I thought with an empty feeling. Where was he?

"Well where's Zane?" My voice was scratchy and soft.

"Damn. Not you too," Dax said as his blond hair shifted when he shook his head.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Oh! Shit! I was supposed to give you this as soon as you opened your eyes." Dax stood up from the rocking chair beside the bed. I took a moment to glance around. The walls were wooden, like a logged cabin. A wooden fan turned on the ceiling. I sat up with a wince; my body was sore. With sudden realization, my hands darted down to my stomach. I pulled part of the blanket away and pulled up the edge of my shirt. A white bandage covered the stab wound. I wanted to see it. I was just about to peel the white gauze back when Dax stopped me. His hands pulled mine away, pushed my shirt down, and pulled part of the blanket back over me.

"Whoa, whoa. Take your time, Blair. You're moving really fast. You've been through some crazy stuff." Dax walked over to my bed side with a glass of water and a green pill. I immediately reached for the water.

"All Zane has been able to talk or think about is you for the last four days you've been sleeping, and the one time we beg him to leave this room for a few hours you wake up. Now I get to call and tell him you're awake." As soon as I downed the whole glass of water I glanced up at Dax with a worried expression.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"We're one hundred percent safe. We're at a secret location Ash has created. Everyone here is safe." Dax's face showed concern.

"I need to take a shower," I said suddenly as I swung the blue blanket off of me.

"Um, yeah, I don't think that's the best idea right now," Dax said unsurely as I sat up.

"Where's the bathroom?" I asked ignoring his doubt.

"Just hold on. Let me call Zane." Dax rushed his words trying to stop me from getting up. I turned my body and let my legs hang over the edge of the bed. I looked down at the wooden floor. I eased onto my feet and grabbed hold of the bed frame; my weight was too much for my weak body. I let out a deep breath as I straightened up. My eyes scanned over the room and found a door. A bathroom maybe? I took a shaky step toward the door. My hand followed along the wall as my aching body stepped forward.

"Ah… Blair, Zane isn't going to be happy with me-"

"Dax," I said his name quietly. He glanced over at me with a sad expression. "Please," I asked as I cast my eyes into his silver ones. I wasn't completely sure what I was asking him. All I knew was that I needed time.

"Since I'm such a great friend, I'll give you five minutes before I call Zane." I rolled my eyes at Dax's reply. His arm was suddenly wrapped around my waist, and he helped me to the bathroom with gentle steeps. He turned the water on for me to the perfect temperature. From underneath the sink, he pulled out a towel and a green night gown. On the small counter, there was a tooth brush and comb.

"Be careful," he told me as he shut the door. I peeled off the unfamiliar clothes and searched my body. On the inside of my arm, there was a small pink line that ran down from my upper arm to my elbow. It was barely visible, and it would probably heal well. Zane's blood surely made it heal faster than it would have regularly. I sat down on the toilet seat as I stared at the bandage that covered my stab wound. A deep sigh past my lips as I peeled the gauze away from my skin. The scar was pink. It was an inch wide and an inch and a half long. The area around it was sore and still a little painful. My scrapes and bruises seemed to all be healed thanks to Zane's blood. It was only the deep wounds that resisted disappearing. I got into the shower. I stood and let the water run down my worn body. My silent tears mixed in with the drops of water. I almost died.

I stepped out of the bathroom with my brown hair dripping with water. I was wearing my very _attractive _pale green nightgown; its collar choked me, and it went past my knees. Hands suddenly wrapped around my waist, and I flinched in surprise. I looked up at Zane's excited blue eyes; he pulled me close to him. His hands touching me sent my heart racing. My body filled with purpose. His presence made me feel extremely better.

"Zane, what-" My tired voice was cut off when his lips suddenly captured mine. I sank into a world where problems were nonexistent. A current of electricity moved through me. His lips were rough and excited as he pushed me to him; the space between us became nothing. Zane was mine, and it felt so right. It felt right when I trailed my hands up his shoulders and wrapped them around his neck. It felt right when his hands ran down the sides of my body. It was right how he needed me, and I needed him. We broke apart, and I took a deep breath. There was something wrong. Zane came back toward me, but I pulled away a little. My heart leaped in my chest at me refusing him. I heard a frustrated noise come from Zane. His hands around me became tighter.

"My human," he spoke gently which caused me to look toward him. His silver hair was a little winded; it was as if he had been running before he showed up. His bright blue eyes sparkled with energy as he looked toward me. A genuine smile showed. My eyes got lost on his lips, and he didn't hesitate. He kissed me again. My nerves tingled. I ached for more. Our lips parted, and I took a breath. I froze there, without making contact with his lips again. I let them hover over his only centimeters away. This_ just _"Isn't right," The words collapsed into the silence. I turned my face away from him and cast my eyes to the ground.

"What does that even mean?" he asked after a moment of quietness. I had no answer. I knew what was bothering me though after a short moment of thinking. Revenge was in the back of my mind.

"Challenging isn't it? What is right, and what is wrong? People try to justify themselves with different viewpoints or recent events or statistics or laws." He lifted my chin up, and his blue eyes sank into mine.

"I do not have to use any of that." His face grew closer, and my heart flew in my chest. "Because no one can tell me that this isn't right." My palm pushed against his chest to keep him from kissing me again. I stood there glancing at my skinny hand on his chest. I felt the connection between us; there was a strong connection. It pulled at my emotions and my heart.

"I just… can't," I said as my hand dropped away from him. My right hand nervously rubbed my left wrist. I glimpsed up at his now vacant face.

"You left me in the cell in The Court of Radiance, Zane. You were going to leave me to a death sentence," I said disappointingly as my green eyes looked everywhere but at him.

"Don't you see that I would have come for you? I just said I couldn't help you at that moment. You had to believe I wasn't going to help you if my plan was going to work. I had a plan to get you out of there. I try so hard not to care for you…but I always end up here." He looked toward the ground. I followed his eyes and found him looking at our feet. His hand moved under my chin, and he lifted my face so my green eyes glimpsed into his icy blue ones.

"And one day…you will not be able to stay away from me too." His words made my breathing slow. He dropped my chin and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Zane-"

"I'm only helping you walk, my human." I glanced up at him then slowly wrapped my arm around him to help keep my balance. My body fit perfectly next to his. The door we opened to get out of the room I slept in had no code pad. That fact made my lips pull into a smile.

"I'm free here," I whispered as we started to walk down a dim hallway. The inside still reminded me of a logged cabin. My walking pace was slow.

"My human," Zane spoke with a fragile voice, "I don't think you will ever be free again." My pace sped up after he said that.

"Yes, I will," I protested.

"Not if you want to stay safe. There are people out there searching for you, people who aren't as considerate as we are." My smile disappeared, and a frown took over. I pushed off of Zane's body and leaned against the wall. I stopped walking, and I closed my eyes in emotional pain. What he said was never something I never wanted to hear. I needed freedom. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and leaned my weight against the wall.

"Zane, I can't live like this," I said as I felt a burning sensation behind my eyelids. There was no way I was going to cry. I held the tears back. I was used to it.

"I know how you are feeling. I can feel it." Suddenly, his arms wrapped around me, and he pulled me into his chest. My arms wrapped around him tightly. His hand stroked my hair as his other hand held me against him in a hug.

"I block my feelings from you." I stood there with my eyes closed as I listened to his calm voice. "Through the bond I can feel your emotions, but you can't feel mine," Zane told me. I opened my eyes and parted from him.

"What?" I asked softly.

"I can feel your heart ache. I can feel your emotions and your physical pain."

"How do you block yours? Why? Why would you do that?" I asked as I took another step away from him. His smooth smile worried me.

"I don't want to overwhelm you, my human."

"Zane-"

"Ok! Beautiful, you're on my team!" Dax's voice surprised me and made my body jump. I heard stomping feet, and then I saw his blond hair and silver eyes stare at me. I pulled away from Zane and allowed myself a small smile.

"And what is it that I'm on your team for?"

"Why charades of course!" Dax grabbed my hand.

"Dax, how about we show her around first," Zane suggested as he pulled on my other hand and Dax reluctantly began to let go when Zane tugged me to him.

"Zane, I have been looking for you everywhere." Torture's quiet voice made my insides warm. I turned to him with a full smile.

"Torture!" I shouted as I ran at him as fast as my weak legs could take me. I wrapped my arms around his stiff body. He never returned my hug, but that didn't bother me. I knew Torture liked me. I just knew it. It showed when he did things for me or when he carried me when I was weak.

"Human, get off of me," he said, but I waited a few seconds before I pulled away.

"Oddly, I missed you," I told Torture. His long black hair was no longer pulled back. It now hung to his shoulders and looked shorter than before.

"You got a haircut!" I said with a smile. His not very amused silver eyes watched me.

"Hey, you didn't miss me?" Dax said with a frown.

"Let's all stop touching." Zane's voice became cold as he wrapped an arm around my stomach and pulled me into my side. I rolled my eyes.

"I can touch who I want to, and I missed all of you." As I spoke those words, Zane's grip on me became tighter. His hand pressed against my stomach.

"Alright! Let's stop standing in this small little hall way and go outside. Blair, you'll love it here. By the way, I've got the no touching thing down, Zane." Dax was wearing a nice pair of jeans and a perfect fitting green shirt. "Wouldn't want to get my hand chopped off," Dax mumbled as he turn on his heels in the hall and began walking down the narrow hall way. Torture, Zane, and I followed in Dax's footsteps. I almost pushed off of Zane, but his presence was so comforting I couldn't find it in me to do so. I was also leaning some of my weight against him to help me walk.

The narrow hallway opened to a cozy living room filled with the sun's afternoon light. My eyes crinkled together at the sudden change in lighting. On the right hand side, the living room had a wooden framed couch. On each side of the couch were two side tables. A chair sat in the corner of the room, and the furniture faced a fire place. On the left side, a bar stood and behind it was a small kitchen.

A woman of around forty cooked behind the bar. She was stirring a pot and the smell of chicken rose into the air. Her brown eyes caught sight of us and she let out an unhappy sigh.

"Why is she out of bed?" Her voice sounded stern. I watched Zane stiffen.

"Because she wanted out for just a moment," Zane said in my defense.

"I don't care what she wanted. What matters is what's best for her." The short woman walked around the bar, and walked to Zane's and my side. Her arm reached up and she pressed the back of her hand against my forehead.

"Your fever has almost gone," she said as she threw an angry glare at Zane. Zane only shot her back the same angry look.

"It has been-" Zane began.

"Oh, shush," the woman spoke over him. My eyes widened in surprise at the woman's bold attitude especially since it was toward Zane. She was more heavy set and her complexion was dark. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a loose pony tail.

"Come sit down, honey. I've got some broth cooking for you." She took my hand and pulled me away from Zane. Zane followed only a step behind us as I sat down on the red cushion of the couch with the wooden frame. The home smelled of outdoors and firewood.

"You need anything at all, sweetie, and you just let me know. My name's Susan."

"Thank you," I said with a soft smile. The plain blue dress Susan wore went a few inches past her knees. She walked across the room, and I could see her continue to cook in the small kitchen. I glanced up at Zane who was busy paying attention to Torture as they whispered back and forth to each other.

"What are you two talking about?" I asked boldly as I stared at the fire in the fireplace in front of me.

"Nothing of your concern," Zane's controlled voice answered. My eyes wandered away from the flickering flame and to Zane. His muscles pressed against the black t-shirt he was wearing. The pair of sweat pants he had on were only a shade darker than his silver hair. I narrowed my eyes at him in annoyance.

"Everything is of my concern lately, Zane," I voiced. Dax's upbeat voice cut into the conversation.

"Alright, well, I'll be back in let's say…two hours? I'll just ditch out on this argument." Dax's grin was forced as he held up his hand in a small wave and walked out of the door only a few feet away from the kitchen. There was no key pad next to the door. I could just simply walk out. I was amazed. Dax had distracted me, and I failed to notice Zane and Torture had started whispering again.

"Hey! I just said not to do that!" I protested as I sat up further on the couch.

"I will stay here with her. You know where my vote stands," Zane said out loud to Torture so I could hear.

"It's not the same without you there, Zane. You are a strong speaker and your influence can make a difference." The smooth tone of Torture's voice was always soft. There had never been a time where I had seen him yell. The two men went silent until Zane unhappily turned his head away from Torture and looked out the small window above the kitchen sink.

"Fine," Zane stated. His walk was silent although the black boots he was wearing looked loud and clumpy. He stopped in front of me and leaned down to whisper to me.

"My human, I will be back. I'm only going to be gone for a short time." I shied away in surprise as he kissed my cheek. The blush that crept onto my cheeks stained them red. He ran a hand over my hair. "Eat and relax," he added as he pulled away. He moved to the wooden rocking chair that sat only a little ways from the couch I was sitting on and unfolded the blanket that was thrown over the arm rest. He gave me the blanket, and I didn't protest everyone leaving.

"Susan is right there. She is a good woman. If you need anything at all she's here. When I get back we will go on a tour." I nodded my head to his words. After he left, I found my eyes constantly traveling to the door that led out. I thought about perhaps cracking open the door and sneaking off. I thought about how easy it could be. I thought about it, yet my feet never touched the ground.

:::

**"You** know I can feel if you need to rest so there is no need for you to act like you don't have to. There is no lying for you when it comes to the bond," Zane said as we stood in front of the door that led out. Where "out" was… I had no idea. I was eager to open the door.

"Doubt it," I whispered as I chose to not seriously argue with Zane about my strength. Every time Zane looked at me an electric sensation filled me. The small smirk on his smug face told me he knew about my feelings and my fast beating heart. His hand fell on the door knob.

He opened the door to the setting sun and laughter. The sun set was tinted orange on the blue sky. The sun light streamed across the land on an angle and hit the ground with a glow. Two children chuckled as they chased after a blue ball on the ground. A long row of logged cabins filled the space around me.

"Where are we?" I asked as my green eyes glimpsed up at Zane.

"I have to take you to meet Ash soon. He is the one who created this. He owns miles of this land, and he has created a safe haven for all beings that need somewhere to go. The courts don't know about this place," Zane explained as my attention flickered around the small village.

"How many logged cabins are there?" I asked as I looked around in wonder.

"Twenty one. Three rows of seven." He held up his arm, and I used it to balance as we walked down the wooden steps. A small brick path cut through the middle of the homes. They were close together, but far enough away to have a fair amount of space. Each cabin had a nice front yard, and some had nice gardens full of color.

"It's amazing," I said.

"Everyone is at the common grounds right now enjoying a bon fire," Zane added as he watched a parent chase after the two children.

"Common grounds?" I questioned the term.

"A place people meet at sun set to just…well have fun," Zane said with a small shrug.

"Are we going there?" I asked, but Zane turned in the opposite direction from where the kids had run off.

"Not tonight." A smile drew onto Zane's face.

"Well…then where are we going? Cuz a nice little fire seems nice and toasty to me." I looked into Zane's blue eyes for an answer.

"You will see when we get there." He pulled my body to him and began to walk.

"Why are we here?" I asked after a stretch of silence.

"Because when I hurt Sin for hurting you… The Court of Radiance had no choice but to sign me over to The Court of Shadow's possession. I attacked their court with no threat to our court. It's law. The Court of Radiance is no longer somewhere I can stay. Torture and Dax then got help for us from Ash. They are not able to go back either now."

The cabins were located in a smooth plain that stretched on for a little ways until the edges of a forest became a border. We reached the forest line. Zane quickly swept me into his arms, and my hands wrapped around his neck as I was startled.

"Zane!" I said as my heart rate jumped with the body contact. I was wearing a pair of jean shorts and a black t-shirt Susan had given me.

"Oh my God! Why are you taking me off into a forest alone?" I suddenly thought of the weird occurrence. "This is the perfect time for you to kill me!" I added as I tightened my hold on him. His amused laughter entered my ears in a way that made me smile. We were walking up hill along a dirt foot path. The trees of the forest we budding with fresh green leaves. The braches were starting to become full.

"I can't kill you, my human. I realized that you are too cool to kill." His words struck me as familiar. I thought back to when I'd heard them. I said that to him when he first entered my home. That was a long time ago.

"Quoting me, are you?" I asked him. The smirk on his face showed me I was right. A rushing sound entered my ears. At first, the sound confused me. Then as we drew closer it was all too familiar. It was the sound of running water. The path ended at the top of the hill and a few large rocks sat on the top. The roar filled my ears. A smile graced my lips. Zane held his hand out for me and helped me onto one of the rocks. The rock was cold to the touch, and my foot slipped on it once but Zane reassured my balance.

I sat down and took in the sight in front of me. The orange sun reflected off of the river's surface below us. The rapids crashed, and white foam floated on the top of the violent surface. It was beautiful. I was glad that he had taken me.

"It is moments like these that make me question life." Zane's voice blended in with the washed out noise around us. I sat frozen and watched the scene in front of me. We sat in silence as we took in the sight, and I sighed. Some of the stress I had drowned in the river below me.

"My human," Zane's icy blue eyes caught the lighting of the setting sun, and they appeared to be more defined. I lost a small part of my thoughts as I focused on him. "I want you to know that what you will be going through won't easy."

"Zane…" I tried to stop him from saying anything more. I only wanted to enjoy the time for a short moment more.

"I can't hold in what I have to say any longer, my human. You are a carrier, and you may not know what that entitles right now… but being a female carrier…" He trailed off with a loss of words. His eyes began to look pained.

"I don't even know what that is," I told him as the sun's light started to disappear.

"I will start with the basics. A carrier is a female vampire that is able to produce vampire offspring."

"But I'm not a-" I began to protest.

"Let me finish. A carrier is born when a male vampire fertilizes a human woman within a twenty four hour period after being turned. In other words, your dad was a vampire and your mom was human. You are so very rare because the window of opportunity for this to happen is very slim. You have to understand, after being turned some take a long time to recover… but some like your father, respond to turning faster." My loud laugh forced Zane to stop and look at me.

"You're trying to tell me my dad is a vampire?"

"Yes, and soon you will be too. You see… being a carrier of the gene makes you half vampire, half human. You're going to transition."

"But that would mean-"

"My dad was a vampire, and my mom was human," Zane revealed about himself and finished my thought.

"It is said that a male carrier is born a human. In their late teens or early twenties a male transitions from a human to half vampire. A female carrier is said to be born a half vampire already without transitioning, but I have recently discovered that isn't so. A female carrier transitions just as a male does. You see, there hasn't been a female carrier in two hundred years, so the whole things about female carriers being born as half vampires was rumored not known. Many of my kind do not know that. I learned from a very old friend of mine. I've been thinking that the rumor was started to protect them. All of the female carriers have died off long ago." Zane broke off there then turned to me with what looked like sad eyes.

"My human…you are going to go through the phase soon, and it will hurt. You will transition from being human to being half vampire half human. I am not sure of when you will turn, but you need to be prepared. You are going to be sought out. Everyone will want your offspring because the children you have can be one hundred percent full-fledged vampires. Do you understand, my human? There are some really bad people out there who may want to take advantage of you." Zane's voice was anxious and worried.

"But I will not let anyone like that near you," Zane said with such power and conviction it made me feel safe. A sudden realization struck me, and I backed away from Zane unsure.

"Well wouldn't that mean a newly turned vampire would have to be the father of my children in order for the offspring to be full vampires?" I asked with confusion.

"Either that or… a male carrier of the gene." My eyes widened with realization. My body jerked away from his. I didn't want to touch him. Zane was a male carrier of the gene.

"No," I whispered as I watched his blue eyes focus on me.

"Oh my God…No," I repeated as my weak leg muscles pushed me to my feet. I stood on the rock and began to slide down it and away from him. My feet were in sandals as they pressed against the dirt ground.

"My human, if you would please just-"

"I can't believe you," I said with my voice fragile and still soft.

"If you would calm down, I can talk to you." He followed my lead and started down the rock.

"Why did you kidnap me, Zane?" I whispered with my voice almost breaking.

"Blair…" His voice saying my real name made my heart do a double take, but my mind was reeling and smarter.

"Why did you, Zane!" I screamed that time. His stale blue eyes looked at me without a word. The moon's pale light reflected off of his silver hair.

"Answer me!" I shouted in complete anger. I had to know if he kidnapped me intending for me to have his children. Was I just a convenient mean for him? Was I just a girl he could take advantage of?

"I was out searching for the carrier the night I found you…but you see I saw you and you were human, and all of the old rumors said the female carrier was born a half vampire. The only evidence of a female carrier was a quote in a book that said the female carrier was born a half vampire while males had to transition… They never even noted that the female started out as humans first too. My human, when I kidnapped you…I truly thought you were only just a human."

"Take me back to the cabin," I said as my arms folded across my chest.

"My human-"

"Now, Zane. Lead me back." He stood still and stared at me for a couple of minutes before holding out a hand toward me.

"Don't touch me," I told him. He turned his back toward me, and I started to slowly follow him down the trail. I caught his blue eyes glance over his shoulder at me mixed with red. He wasn't at all happy. My injured body couldn't make it back all the way on its own. I stopped and leaned against a tree after a few minutes. Without a word Zane turned around and picked me up, so I didn't have to walk. Anger bubbled up inside me because I needed his help to get back. The small glowing of the porch light lit up the entrance to Susan's cabin. Zane stopped in the front yard, and put me down. I started up the steps.

"My human, I would like you to just trust me."

"That's the thing, Zane. I can never just trust you." I was on the third stair out of the five to get to the main door of the cabin.

I climbed the last two steps. In my peripheral vision, I caught the shadow of a figure. I didn't even have time to move. An arm wrapped around my neck for less than a second because Zane was faster than the person attacking me. Zane's knife flew dangerously close to my head, and the figure behind me turned to dodge it. I heard the loud impact of the knife digging into the wooden siding of the log cabin. Zane had suddenly climbed the five steps and onto the porch. The figure's and Zane's motions were so fast I only caught sight of who had attacked me when all fighting had stopped.

Zane pinned an around twenty year old woman to the side of the log cabin beside me. Her chest rose and fell with labored breaths. A small smile showed her white teeth in the darkness. Her skin tone was darkened a little, and she was wearing all black. He brown hair fell around her head in loose curls. Her brown eyes sparkled in the moon light.

"Don't worry, I wasn't trying to take out your bonded mate. I was just trying to see her worth. She seems worthless to me." The woman who had just attacked me said.

"Next time you decide to test her worth, I will test yours, Maria." The girl named Maria smirked as Zane released her.

"Oh, would you look at that," Maria's smooth voice said as she picked up a small clump of hair from the porch. It was her hair that Zane's knife had cut off when it got dangerously close to our heads.

"You managed to take some of my hair off, Zane. Getting sloppy with the knife throwing?"

"Leave, Maria," Zane said in a serious tone. Maria only laughed and took the steps two at a time as she bounced down the porch. Seeing Zane touch that girl sent an unwanted violent ping through me. I wanted to grab her and pull the hair out of her pretty little-

"My human-"

"Zane," I stated his name and was about to ask a question I was afraid to know the answer to.

"Yes?" He replied.

"Is Revenge here?" I whispered with my eyes completely cast away from Zane. The silence of the calm night thickened.

"No," Zane answered after a moment of hesitation. My jaw clenched together.

"And where is he?" I added.

"The Court of Radiance," he answered softly. I turned my back on him.

"Would you just-" he started.

"I don't want to hear it," I told him, and I left him outside as I walked into the bedroom I woke up in and laid down. The doors to the outside world were open, but I was too afraid to venture out.

:::

**Chapter 14! We're getting far along here! I know that this chapter maybe somewhat hard to understand. Let me know if it's too confusing or if there are spots I should touch up on! :) Nothing too crazy happened in this chapter, I know. Believe me I love action chapters a lot more. This one had some drama though! But I would really love some reviews ; ) let me know if you don't like something! It's important to me that my writing is the best I can make it. Let me know if this chapter was hard to follow! I'm worried I confused people about the whole carrier thing!**

***Review Responses***

**15 reviews?! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and supports me!**

****- Hello there! Thank you for your review! :D I'm happy you're loving it so far! Have a nice rest of the day!

**Lovepaw**- Hello! It made me excited that you asked if there was going to be a sequel! Haha it's cool to know that people want more! As for the answer, I'm not really sure on a direct sequel…meaning, I have a companion story planned with a different POV that I've actually already started writing. I'm looking into just writing a normal sequel and just keeping Blair's POV instead. I guess I'll let you know when I make my decision at the end of this story! But there will be something after ICC :) Thank you for reviewing!

**Dire Heart**- haha, you're right! It would be no fun at all! :D Thank you for taking the time to review!

**DJShayShayxx**- Hello there! It is a relief getting Blair out of the Court of Shadows! Awe, happy to see that you've missed Torture so much! He makes a small appearance in this chapter too, so that's fun! I missed Dax's happy personality too! It was a relief to add some light happiness back into the story with him in this chapter! Haha, I'm with you with Sin! Thank you for reviewing! :)

**ZisisGirl23**- You caught on in the last chapter to the basis of the drama in this chapter! When I saw your review I felt happy that someone started to think about that—Zane using her. He was sweet! I loved writing about Zane in the last chapter! This chapter too had some of its moments. Thank you for taking time to review!

**Queensly92-** Hello! Yeah, a few other people had predicted that she was too! I'm glad you're liking it so far! Thanks for reviewing!

**Bonnie D'Salvatore**- I love Zane too! We have so much in common haha :D I'm so happy to hear that you've loved it! Makes my day! Thank you for your review!

**Miss Kristina**- haha, glad I didn't disappoint :D Thank you for reviewing and for the compliment!

**Forever-Buckskin**- Hey there! Yay! I'm happy that you liked the last chapter! It was nice to write Blair finally getting out of the Court of Shadows! Maybe you'll be seeing some Revenge in the future? Haha, I like to leave it a mystery! Thank you for reviewing!

**AlexandraSterling41**- Hello! :) I think you misinterpreted a little haha because in my story the only way to turn is if a vampire who has previously given their blood to a human bites that same human, and Blair hasn't been bitten by Zane. Therefore, she still isn't turned :D Thank you for reviewing!

**Lena**- Hello! Zane was really cute in the past chapter! I loved writing chapter 13 because of that! I'm excited to bring another character (War) into the story! It'll be interesting! Hehe, I don't think anyone was sad to see Sin finally go! Thank you for reviewing!

**Xoxoamyxoxo-** Awe, thank you! It made me so happy to receive your review! I made you happy and you made me happy :D haha it's a nice system we have there! Thank you so much for taking the time to review!

**lover in the shadow**- Hello there! I'm so excited that I got to surprise you :D It's one of my favorite things to do! Awe! Thanks for the offer! I don't know if I'll ever let Torture smile though… I like that he doesn't! I don't know! I'll let you know if I need a consultation with you though! Thanks for your review!

**ERB000-** ahhhh! Thank you :) I loved getting your review. Releasing information is one of the most important parts of a story, so I was happy to hear that I am on the right track! Thank you so much for both of you reviews!

**Tamika-** ahaha! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! Chapter 13 was a fun one to write! Thank you for reviewing!

***Have a nice week!***


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Why do seagulls live by the sea?" If I couldn't get an expression on Torture's face after this one I was going to scream. He was so silent the whole night. I could never get his eyes to meet mine. He leaned back in the wooden chair with his arms crossed at his chest. His wavy black hair hung at the edges of his face.

"Because if they lived by the bay…they'd be bagels!" I finished my lame joke. Torture sat stone still. I scrapped my fork against the plate to get the last noodle of macaroni. I put my fork down louder than I meant to with a sigh. I looked around Susan's logged cabin space. Flames licked at the edges of the fire place and warmed the room. Susan had turned in for the night, and Torture was on guard duty. Even here I didn't have complete freedom, but it was better.

Last night, Susan was surprised to find me wandering into her house. She thought I was going to be in a different living arrangement. Nevertheless, she invited me to stay as long as I needed to. I thanked her. I looked through the window at the dark sky. I spent all day inside and lazily reading a book I found lying on a shelf in the house.

"Torture, what's up with you?" I asked as I glimpsed in his direction. His silver eyes closed as if he was willing himself to keep my voice out. Oddly, I felt hurt by his actions.

"Is something wrong? If there is, I-" Words stopped spilling from my mouth after his silver eyes split open, and his head turned towards me.

"What are you doing?" His voice was crisp. It was such a strange question to ask.

"What are you talking about?" I answered his question with another question.

"What is it you intend to do?" His face was tense. I could see his jaw clenching. I heard a raw anger in his low voice.

"I…" I trailed off not knowing how to respond or what type of answer he was looking for.

"You've been going through life with tunnel vision. Do you see the lives you affect? Do you see the ones who die or risk their lives because of your choices?" I stared at Torture's piercing silver eyes that were turned in my direction. My mind twisted. I directed my eyes to the ground and away from his accusing. My heart squeezed as I saw truth in his words. The legs of my chair scrapped against the floor as I slid it back to stand up. I turned my back on Torture and headed to the room I was staying in.

:::

**I**t wasn't hard. The window opened with no protest at all. I wore a thick black pair of boots. I received them from Susan along with other hand me downs from girls who lived in the village. I slipped through the window. Dirt clung on to my fingers as I pushed off of the window frame. My foot landed oddly, and my right leg bent. I caught myself with my hands then held still. I was clumsy. My hand automatically went to my side where I'd recently been stabbed. It had healed remarkably well, but it still caused me some pain. I waited for Torture to come out and catch me doing a terrible job of trying to sneak out, but after a few minutes I declared myself safe.

My breath fogged in the mildly cold night. I regretted not putting a sweater over my black long sleeved shirt. I hugged my arms across my chest and began to walk. I could now walk on my own, and I only woke up yesterday. The thought of Zane's blood healing me scared me a little. Most of the lights were off in the small village, but others still held a couple of them on. The moon hid behind a few clouds. As I walked, I put myself in Torture's shoes.

What did he see when he looked at me? A girl who didn't know how to fight. A girl who was always saying whatever it was on her mind. A girl always shadowed by danger. A girl who didn't know what she was doing. A girl who had no idea what-so-ever. I didn't know what I was doing. I came to the end of the first row of logged cabins. There was a bench turned toward the forest. I slowly sat down. The wooden bench was cold. I pulled my legs to my chest.

I needed to pull myself together. I needed to find a plan. What did I need to do? I glanced at my boring hand, empty of any jewelry. I found myself angered when I realized I lost Revenge's ring. It wasn't there when I'd woken up the other day. I needed to help Revenge. If the princess was a traitor, I could foresee future fights or maybe even a war. I needed to get Revenge out of The Court of Radiance. My heart beat grew just thinking about him. I missed his hand holding mine.

"Blair." The voice spoke with confidence and ease. I flinched away from the sound startled. It was unrecognizable. My arms fell from my legs. My feet hit the dirt ground. I searched the darkness for a figure. He was standing beside the outside light of the cabin behind me. I twisted around in the bench and moved my legs onto it.

"The likeness…" he said as I caught his forest green eyes.

"Who the heck are you?" I asked quietly and with force. I was suddenly wishing I would've grabbed a knife from the kitchen.

"I am supposed to speak with you," he said as the crunchy sound of him striking a lighter filled the silent air around us.

"Smoking is terrible for you," I announced.

"Well, I suppose it's good I'm immortal then," he said smoothly as he stepped away from the wall of the cabin and stood up to his full height. His blond hair contrasted with his green shirt. I looked into his forest green eyes and narrowed my own.

"You got me there," I replied. He smirked back at me. He couldn't be a vampire… his eyes were green. A small puff of smoke wafted into the dark night.

"Blair, what's your favorite candy?" he asked me as his smirk still touched his lips. I laughed at the silly but welcome question. It felt like the most normal question ever. It was a safe one.

"Easiest question in the world, of course, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups," I replied as I rolled my eyes. I didn't ask him why he wanted to know.

"If I asked a favor of you, would you see it through?" He scanned his eyes over me as his smirk diminished. He confused me with his speaking. First he talked like he's a modern day guy, and then he switched over and spoke like he's old and formal.

"Depends on what it is," I said to the strange guy who stood in front of me.

"I need you to tell Ash to contact Prince Adrian about you."

"I haven't even met Ash yet," I responded with a small frown and a questioning glare. The cold breeze brushed against my skin and a chill clung to my bones.

"Then I guess you get to meet him today," the stranger added. There was something about him. The way he spoke was with such clarity, and his voice was smooth almost perfect. His face defined itself with sharp angles.

"Ok. That's it. What are you?" His perfect lips smirked at me.

"So now you ask the right question. What am I, not who am I," he replied. His smile disappeared as he looked beyond me.

"Why don't you go ask your friend?" His eyes locked onto the space behind me. Confused, I turned around but only saw the darkness of the infinite space around me.

"What?" I asked him.

"Goodbye, Blair," he announced. Like sugar in a glass of water, he vanished in front of my eyes. I felt my heart jump in shock. I took a step backwards and calmed down. What. The. Hell.

"What did he want?" A deep voice spoke beside me. I turned my shocked face toward the new speaker. He had probably been following me all night, or he had just tracked me down. He obviously hadn't been able to hear the conversation.

"Torture-"

"I asked you a question, human." He sounded so serious it scared me. I met his eyes.

"I need to tell you I'm sorry first!" I yelled a lot louder than I meant to. He stopped speaking. My arms were crossed, and I rubbed my hands on the outside of my arms to keep them warm.

"Because I am," I added lamely. I shifted my eyes toward the ground.

"I don't know what I'm doing. I just- I'm not-I don't know where to start, and I can't-" I surprised myself when a sob slipped through me and cut my sentence short. My eyes slowly left the ground as I felt a layer of clothing thrown over me. I cast my eyes toward Torture who stood with only a dark T-shirt on. His huge long jacket was around my shoulders. I let out a nervous half laugh, half cry. Torture had tried to comfort me.

"Torture, what the hell do you want at one in the morning in this place that's so import-" Dax's voice stopped as he spotted us. I laughed a nervous laugh again.

"Beautiful, what happened?" Dax asked as his arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"She's crying," Torture said in a low voice.

"Well, no shit," Dax replied.

"I don't know," I said aimlessly as I wiped tears from my face. Dax pulled me closer to him.

"Blake was here," Torture told Dax. Dax let out a stress filled sigh.

"Okay, let's go to Susan's. We'll talk there," Dax told us as he turned us both in the direction of the cabins. I let him lead me through the night, and I trusted his every step. A low buzz sounded. Dax sighed and dug through his pocket pulling out his cell phone. He let out a steady laugh.

"Zane already knows something happened. He's asking if you're alright." Dax typed a reply. I didn't ask what he wrote back. A silent tear ran down my face. The feeling of tears against my cheeks was becoming all too familiar.

:::

**"A**nd then he asked me what my favorite candy bar was." I was in the middle of telling Dax, Torture, and Zane what had happened. I told Dax to tell Zane not to come. Zane insisted. I heard Dax chuckle besides me.

"The fae folk are weird," he announced after his small laugh. I found out before my story time that the guy I had spoken to, Blake, was a faery. That explained him immortality and green eyes. I continued.

"Then he asked me to do a favor," Dax immediately stopped smiling. "And I said it depended on what it was. He wanted me to tell Ash that Prince Adrian wants Ash to contact him…about me." I ended.

"You didn't make any deals with him, right?" Dax asked beside me. I shook my head. My eyes were swollen from crying. My head pounded as a side effect.

"How the hell does a prince from The Court of Radiance know where we are?" Dax whispered forcefully.

"Go sleep. I will speak with Ash." Zane's soothing voice was controlling. I laid my head down on Susan's kitchen table. I closed my eyes. Why was it that Zane being in the same room as me affected me so much? It made me feel safe and sparked my heart rate. I knew without looking up who had left when the door clicked shut. When Zane left I felt a small tint of emptiness. It scared me.

"Let's go, beautiful." Dax helped me walk to the room reserved for me at Susan's.

:::

**I** just finished blow drying my hair and doing my make-up. I was dressed in a black sweater and a plain red under shirt. I headed back to my room. I needed to think up a plan about getting to Revenge. I twisted the door knob and opened the door. His iced blue eyes captured my green ones. My heel caught the ground, and I pivoted away.

"My human, wait."

"No." I was just about to close the door between us when his hand caught my wrist, pulled it from the door knob, and dragged me into the room. It was a gentle and quick moment that scared me. My free hand snatched the edge of the door way in protest. I didn't want to speak with him. Zane grabbed my protesting hand away from the frame of the door. He captured both of my wrists and shut the door with his foot. It was that easy for him.

My still recovering body was slow and achy. He used his weight to back me into the wooden wall beside the door. The thud in my heart ached through my body. Silver hair fell a little into his face as he looked down on me. The bond scorched my senses.

"You can't run from me." The tone of his tranquil voice had a deep quality that edged it toward being violent. Icy blue eyes glimpsed at me with confidence and anger. I cast my eyes away, afraid of the feelings his eyes brought me. Electricity ran under my skin where his skin pressed against mine.

"I find it unsettling the way you think about where my intentions stand." His body became close to mine as he whispered in my ear. The closer he came to me the harder it was for me to think. The very slim swirl of red started to tint his eyes.

"Zane…" I trailed off with lost thoughts. "Zane…" I repeated again because it was the only word I could think of.

"Quiet." His voice caught my aimless speaking.

"I need to know if you truly believe I am using you because you're a carrier." A moment of silence past. His lips were so close to mine. I couldn't think straight. I didn't know the truth about Zane. I didn't know what he wanted.

"I-I…Can't-" I slowly inhaled. My heart jumped in my chest, and it suddenly became clear that I needed to kiss him. Was it the bond that was making the decision? Or was it me? Would I really have time to ponder over it if it was the bond? Wouldn't I just do it?

I tried to close the small gap between us. Instead of him leaning toward me to meet my lips, he backed away. I glanced toward him confused. A small smirk tipped his lips into an amused expression. It surprised me when I let out a tiny groan in annoyance.

"Let me speak to you on the matter. You see, I was searching for you as part of The Court of Radiance. They wanted the so called "carrier" in order to make their court more powerful, and I was theirs to command. I didn't know you were the carrier when I took you. I have treated you the same way since, though knowledge of you being carrier or not," he finished his small speech. My mind reeled. His lips hovered only mere centimeters from mine. I waited for him to make the first move. A smooth whisper crossed his lips.

"Do you trust me now?" The question didn't have an immediate answer. I let the question hang in the air. He grew angrier the more time went by without my answer.

"Answer me, my human." I couldn't answer him because I knew it wouldn't satisfy him. His breath brushed against my lips, which let past my abnormally fast breaths. He sighed and dropped my wrists. His fists bunched up and he brought them on each side of the wall around me.

"Your silence is answer enough." He pushed himself off of the wall and his further proximity helped my heart slow.

"Do want me to open my feelings to you? You could feel exactly how I feel about you then," he asked. I shook my head no. I wasn't letting the bond become a part of this factor.

"Come outside with me," he said as he stared into my eyes. I looked away from him to gather my thoughts properly.

"Zane, I-" I thought about it. Maybe he would help me get Revenge. "fine." I pushed myself away from the wall.

:::

**W**e sat on the edge of a dock. I almost jumped in joy at the sight of the lake. Zane remained completely still as I swung my legs over the edge and dipped my feet in. I was humming a random beat.

"Not one person gives me as much pain as you do," Zane said beside me suddenly. I stopped swinging my feet and humming.

"That's terrible!" I yelled as I looked at him in disbelief. His head tilted and a smile coated his face. His blue eyes were amazing in the sun light.

"But it's true. With each being I killed, I felt pain drain from me. It was amazing. I didn't value the life of others and there are times where I still don't." He shrugged easily.

"Zane-" I wanted him to stop the whole killing thing. It was starting to scare me.

"But you. You happened. Now with each life I take, I feel weighed down. I feel like I've failed you. I dislike failure." I remained silent.

"You being a carrier isn't necessarily a pleasing thing for me. It puts you in danger. That fact bothers me. And you question my intentions toward you, so you must see why I find this so humorous." I turned back to him after he paused for a long time.

"Stop trying to make up reasons as to why I act the way I do to you. It isn't what you are, my human. It is who you are, and I very much like who you are." His words made my heart beat quicken. I had no words that sounded as good as his. I had no come back that would suit the situation. So I did what I always did. I went off topic and said the first thing I could think of.

"What if I pushed you into the water?" I asked quickly. His laugh fell smoothly into the fresh air. Amusement lit his eyes.

"For you, my human, that is an impossible task." A mischievous smirk fell onto Zane's face.

"And if I were to push you into the lake right now, what would you do?" He threw the question back at me.

"Fall into the water," I answered with my eyes glaring at him.

"And after that?" he questioned.

"Get out of the water and punch you." His smooth smile caught my eyes.

"Well worth it." His words hit me.

"You wouldn't dare!" I yelled, and then his hands were on my shoulders. I managed to catch his jacket, but he easily pulled my hands away from him. I went splashing into the lake. I let out a small scream as the cold water stung my skin. I was engulfed by lake water. As I came up for air, I spotted Zane slipping his coat off. His shirt was next to go. I tried not to stare at his perfect body as my teeth chattered but failed miserably. I only got a small glimpse.

A splash coated the surface of the water as he jumped in. When he surfaced by me, I splashed water into his eyes with a laugh. I scream when he splashed me back with way more water than I'd splashed him with.

"Not-t f-fair!" I announced as I started toward the land. It was in the high sixties, cold for swimming. Susan had told me it was April twenty eighth. I've been gone from home for three and a half months.

My feet touched the bottom of the lake soon, and I let out a surprised gasp as Zane swooped me up and into his arms. My heart pounded. My side ached with pain suddenly, and my teech clenched together as my hand went to the location I was stabbed at. I was grateful for the fabric wrapped around my skin. I couldn't image the electricity that would run through me if my bare skin contact his too much. The swooshing of Zane walking through the shallow water brought me back to the moment.

"Your wound is not healing sufficiently enough," Zane said as he gazed down at me.

"I'm fine," I replied as his foot stepped out of the water. I punched his arm as best I could, keeping true to my word. He laughed.

I wore Zane's jacket as we sat on the make shift beach. It was only a seven by seven patch of sand. My teeth still clinked together a bit, but I had expertly taken my wet shirt off with Zane's sweater covering me still. My side's ache became a very dull pain. The pain would probably soon fade all together.

"We should get back. You're freezing," Zane mentioned. I was working up my courage to ask him.

"Zane?"

"Yes?" he responded.

"I need you to really understand what I'm going to say next."

"Okay," he said with confidence. I let the breeze fill the silence a little before I started.

"I'm going to get Revenge. With or without you, and you won't be able to stop me from doing this." I needed to keep Revenge safe. I needed to.

:::

**Hello there everyone! ** Here's chapter 15 ! THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT! Let me know if this chapter sounds alright! I trust you guys to stop me if you feel something's weird or whatever.

***THANK YOU TO ALL MY AMAZING REVIEWERS OUT THERE! And of course thank you to those who alert and favorite!***

**ZisisGirl23 4-** Thanks! :) Yeah, she's getting a little more serious in her aggression :D Thank you for always taking the time to review! I really appreciate your continued support!

**Vampirefreakk-** Awww! I'm so happy to hear that you like them all! I've grown attached to the group too! I'm so happy that I came up with that combination of assassin personalities; somehow, their different personalities fit all together. Thank you so much for reviewing!

**The Huntress of the Night-** Hello! Haha, I think that's the first time I've receive a thank you from a reviewer, usually I'm the one who does that thanking! Happy it's one of your favorites! Thanks for reviewing!

**ERB000**- Hi! I was surprised with all the people who actually feel bad for Zane now haha :D and I can't tell you exactly who she is :) you'll just have to read to find out! Thanks for reviewing!

**Tamika-** Hello there! ahahaha she's going to make him work for it alright! :D Zane just can't…So glad you enjoyed the last chapter! Hope you enjoyed this one too! Thanks for your review!

**Dire Heart**- haha! Maybe one the day will come where they may catch a break… or maybe it won't :D Thank you for reviewing!

**waves on the sand-** Hey there! Thank you so much for all of the reviews you gave throughout the story! I'm happy to have another Zane fan on board! :D Thanks again!

**Bonnie D'Salvatore-** Ahaha! I bet you liked this chapter then! Zane finally was able to get his words in the conversation! Thanks so much for reviewing!

**DJShayShayxx**- I knoowww :( poor Revenge! More about him in the next chapter :D haha, your review cracked me up! Zane is a bit of a mix up! He has you on his side one moment, then you're against him the next! A lot of people experience this love hate relationship with him! Hehe! I don't know if Torture will ever smile! Dax is a cutie for sure! He's one of my proud characters… like I'm proud of myself for coming up with him! Haha Thanks for your review!

**Forever-Buckskin-** Hello there! I'm glad you think so! Every time the story shifts a little, I get a little afraid that people might not like it anymore! Thank you for taking the time to review!

**WithLove 101**- Hello! I'm happy to hear that you've loved it so far! I should be updating weekly-ish haha :D Thank you for reviewing!

**lover in the shadow-** hello :) well, there was more about the using thing in this chapter! I love to make the plot thicken though :D thank you for your review!

**Poolnight-** Awww :( I'm glad that you have such an emotional attachment/ reaction to this story… I mean that in the nicest way possible lol Thank you so much for reviewing!

*****Have a lovely rest of your week! Summer Break in 2 weeks for me!*****


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

My clothes were dripping and soaked through. My body shivered resisting the cold that bit into my bones. Zane had gone completely still after I had mentioned Revenge. His cold eyes cut away from me.

"I don't know if I will be able to help you," he finally answered.

"Fine," I said in anger as I got up and started to walk off the sand.

"Wait," Zane said as he followed me off the beach.

"No." My feet were loud and sloppy. Sand tossed into the air with my footsteps.

"I would like to speak with you about the matter."

"It won't make a difference," I told him as twigs snapped underneath my feet. The small village was only a five minute walk from the lake.

"You're going to make this difficult if you don't stop and listen to me." Zane's smooth voice was heard, but I ignored it. And that's how I ended up bound to a chair in Zane's cabin.  
Zane paced the floor in front of me. I sat with my hands and feet expertly tied together with some rope he found. I was never going to tell Zane he couldn't stop me again. It only made him try.

"Zane, cut the rope right now," I said for the tenth time. He only smirked at me.

"I would have no problem at all of exactly doing so, but your ill planned escape attempt is preventing me from doing so," he answered with that same smile on his face as if recalling the memory. I wasn't originally bound when we first arrived here. Zane had carried me to his cabin even with all my loud protests. I only tried to escape once from his cabin, and that's when he bound my hands and feet. It's not my fault he had knives in his kitchen I could easily grab. And it wasn't even a real escape attempt. I had a plan, but I wasn't able to use it because Zane caught me right away. He had laughed when he saw the knife in my hand. _Laughed._

"I'm going to get away soon or later," I said annoyed.

"Perhaps, but it will be of my choosing," Zane answered. He was letting me know he had full control.

"You're wasting my time. I thought you would actually help me get Revenge, and now I feel like an idiot," I added as I leaned my head back and closed my eyes.

"You have no patients, my human." He stopped pacing and looked at me with his head tilted in a particular way.

"I have already thought on the issue and was denied my rights to lead a rescue." Zane let me know as he stepped forward with the knife I tried to escape with in his hands.

"Who in the world would be able to deny you rights?" I said as I thought about the leadership role Zane had always unquestionably had. His smile fell.

"Ash," he answered with a stiff expression on his face. He was obviously not ok with Ash telling him what to do. I waited for him to speak again.

A knock sounded on the door. Zane glanced at me and that same stupid smirk grew on his face. His feet spun and he walked away from me. The front door was only ten feet away from me. I was about to make noise to get the guests attention, but then I listened to Zane speak first.

"Dax, come in." The door opened wide. What the hell? I thought he wanted to keep me tied up a secret but apparently not. Dax stepped in. His eyes immediately found me. His laugh filled the room.

"Fine, Dax, laugh it off," I groaned as I tried pulling my hands free. He wouldn't stop laughing, and I wanted to punch him for it. My wrists burned from constantly pulling against the rope.

"What are you even doing here?" I asked as he started to calm down.

"I asked him to come," Zane answered as he sat down on the chair across from me. He set the knife down on the small wooden table.

"Why would you do that?" I asked Zane as Dax sat down on my right side.

"Because I said I wasn't able to lead a rescue group, but Dax might be able to help," Zane replied. I narrowed my eyes then turned toward Dax.

"Smile!" he said then the familiar snapping of a picture being taken came from his cell phone.

"Dax!" I protested.

"Beautiful, you'll be able to laugh at the picture one day." His cell phone disappeared as he pocketed it.

"Dax, may I see your cell phone?" Zane's voice was collected as he asked. Dax shrugged. Zane was still in control of his crew. Dax's cell phone hit Zane's palm. Zane's fist closed quickly on the small phone. A splintering sound cracked the phone into pieces. At first I was shocked, but it passed. I smirked at Dax. It was a little weird that Zane had concerned himself with the picture situation. I was use to Zane not caring about these little things. Dax frowned, but soon let out his own laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" I asked as Zane put down the broken phone.

"I already sent the picture to Torture," he announced as he relaxed. I smiled at that. Oh, well. It was kind of funny in a way anyways.

"Alright. Fine. I don't care. Dax cut this rope please." I held my arms out.

"Not yet, Dax," Zane said.

"Sorry, beautiful."

"Dax, today my human let me know that she would like to go and get Revenge with my help," Zane started.

"Interesting," Dax spoke as he found my green eyes glaring at Zane.

"So it would seem, since that would interfere with your plans," Zane replied as his ice blue eyes still kept contact with mine. So Dax was holding a rescue mission.

"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?" I whispered at Zane angry.

"You wouldn't stop long enough to listen," Zane answered. I wasn't going to argue with him.

"When is this mission taking place?" I aimed my question at Dax.

"Tomorrow night," Dax answered. I nodded.

"I'm going," I spoke as I stared at the table.

"My human, I don't think-"

"I don't care what you think, Zane." I wondered if he felt my anger through the bond. I hoped it burned him.

"Blair," Dax began, "I'm going to have to agree with Zane. I just don't think you can handle a mission like this. You need to be…"

"I need to be?" I looked to Dax waiting for him to finish.

"You need to be ready, and I don't think you are," Dax said with a frown.

"I'll be ready," I stated. Dax sighed.

"She'll come with me," Zane said suddenly. My eyes snapped to Zane. He glanced at me in an interested way. He was suddenly standing in front of me and held my bound wrists. The contact of his skin on mine made my heart jump. Rope fell from my wrists as Zane's knife cut through it easily. The rope tied to my ankles was next to go. His lips were close to my ears as he whispered.

"Stop running from me." His voice sent a chill through me. My heart sped. He pulled away from me, and it was as if he never said anything to me at all.

"Why don't you show her around more, Dax?" Zane said as he threw the rope in the garbage beside the table. A mischievous grin lifted the edges of Dax's lips. I wearily looked at him.

"It would be my pleasure."

:::

**W**e crouched behind a few newly planted bushes at Dax's cabin as we waited for our enemies to turn the corner. I was in a fresh change of clothes. Dax and I were in the middle of pranking the two kids that lived next door to Dax, Torture, and War. The three all shared a cabin. The carton of eggs sat on the floor between Dax and me. Once they turned the corner, we would unleash our wrath.

"What started this thing anyways?" I whispered to Dax as we waited.

"One morning they covered the whole front step with syrup and ruined our boots," Dax answered with a smirk.

"You should have seen Torture. I told him it was all in good fun, but he was ready to murder the two wolf boys." Dax grinned easily at the memory.

"Wolf boys?" I questioned.

"Oh, yes, they're werewolves," Dax told me with a silly expression.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"You're just learning about this village now? Where have you been?" he asked. We started to lose our whispers and were growing louder and louder.

"It's not my fault no one told me-"

"Shhh!" Dax pressed a hand over my mouth. I immediately stopped talking. Footsteps ruffled the newly growing grass. I jumped up from my hiding spot and threw the egg. It didn't hit a kid. A girl a little older than me tensed and looked over her shoulder. Her blonde hair gleamed in the sun. A patch of egg stained her white long sleeve shirt. Her pink lips scrunched together. Before I could apologize the sound of more footsteps entered my ears. Two boys at around the age twelve and thirteen rounded the corner.

"Now!" I called to Dax. The two brunette haired boys were going to be no match for us. Dax let out a battle cry as he leapt over the bushes with his eggs in hand. I let out a loud laugh as he struck the boys. They both staggered. The older one pushed the younger one in front. I threw the last two eggs and completely missed.

The two boys both laughed at Dax who ran in a small circle with his arms raised in triumph.

"What now?" he yelled at them. I laughed along with the two boys.

"Who's she?" the younger one said as he pointed at me. His skin was tanned, and his eyes were a magnificent blue. His small twelve year old frame was covered in raw eggs. A few pieces of shell were left in his short dark hair.

"This here is the most beautiful girl on earth!" Dax said as he swung his arm over my shoulders with a smile.

"My name is Blair," I announced as I rolled my eyes at Dax's high exaggeration. The younger kid smiled and held out his hand to shake mine. I gladly took it.

"My name is Allan." He shook my hand then stepped aside as his older brother came up to me.

"And I'm Dean." His hair was longer than his younger brothers and a shade lighter. They both shared the same amazing blue eyes. Only one egg had hit him since he used Allan as a shield.

"Who is in for a game of five hundred!" Dax yelled as he picked up a football from the ground the two boys replied eagerly. I tried to play, but always managed to lose.

:::

**I** held my perfect marsh mellow roasting stick above the eager flame. The common grounds area was filled with the people in the village. Some sat around the four bon fires, while others sat on porches close by and talked. The younger brother, Allan, sat beside me as he roasted a marsh mellow. Mine burned in two seconds. I pushed it into Dax's face with a smile. Instead of backing away from the marsh mellow that was about to fall off my stick, he grabbed and threw it at Dean who sat on the other side of Allan. Dean frowned at Dax.

"There will be pay back for that," Dean let him know as he picked the marsh mellow from his shirt and threw it into the fire. The chilly night air made me scoot closer to the fire. I hadn't seen Zane all day, and was starting to feel nervousness collect in my stomach for tomorrow night. We would be rescuing Revenge this time tomorrow. I wondered how all these people came to be at this hide out. A frown placed itself on my lips. I knew nothing about how the systems in this world worked.

A small smack entered my ears as a clump of warmth hit the side of my face. The goopy mess stuck to my face for a second then fell to my jeans.

"Dax!" I yelled as I tried throwing the marsh mellow back in his direction. He easily dodged it with a relaxed smile on his face.

"You have to be ready for attack at all times, beautiful," he said defending his marsh mellow throwing. He jerked in sudden surprise as an arm looped around his neck, and a knife settled at his throat. All of his movements stopped. I flinched in surprise and let out a huge breath of air which may have been a scream if I was able to make a sound. I was stunned into silence.

"I thought you were going to be ready," a voice I barely recognized said. Dax grinned.

"Why hello there, War," Dax said as the knife disappeared from his throat. My rapid heartbeat slowed. It was only a friendly attack. War was someone who had helped me at The Court of Shadows and had been a spy for Zane. He sat on the white plastic chair next to Dax. The fire showed some of his features that startled me as he looked so similar to Torture. Dax must have seen my calculating. I still felt a little awkward in War's presence. He had seen me helpless.

"War is Torture's younger brother," Dax said as he nudged me. I stopped staring at War and directed my eyes to the fire.

"What a pain that must be," I said quietly. My voice must have reached War because he let out a small laugh.

"Try scary," Allan said with a small frown. A grin slipped onto my face from his comment.

I felt his presence before I spotted him. I looked away from Allan and turned in my seat. Zane was walking up to our small group. His blue eyes were looking only at me.

"My human, I would like to speak with you privately."

"Well, I'm busy," I said still a little upset about the whole tying me up to a chair incident. I pulled a new marsh mellow from the bag, stabbed it with my stick, and held it above the flames.

"I told you," Dax said. I looked up to find him giving War a meaningful look.

"When you're done then," he said as he pulled up a chair beside me and sat down. I suppressed a groan of annoyance. I didn't like marsh mellows. I was only cooking them for Dean since he didn't like making them. My plan to ignore Zane and have him go away wasn't going to work. I don't think I wanted him to go anyways. My whole body changed in awareness when in his presence. I could feel the unwanted distance between us.

"Fine, Zane. Let's go," I sighed as I handed my marsh mellow stick to Dax.

"Aren't you going to eat that?" Zane asked as we stood up.

"I don't like marsh mellows," I answered quietly. The amused smirk I saw so often graced his lips.

"Interesting," he concluded as he walked next to me. We walked away from the group.

"You're upset with me."

"Of course I am. You tied me to a chair," I said as I crossed my arms.

"You have this awful habit of leaving before I can speak with you. I was simply trying to show you that just because I upset you at first does not mean I'm completely shutting you down. You need to let me explain. You need to trust me." We walked in silence for a few minutes. I wasn't even going to bring up that fact that I didn't trust him. He stayed silent, and I suddenly grew impatient.

"Zane, what's this about?" I asked as I sat on the outdoor bench. I had escaped to this bench when I snuck out a couple nights ago and ran into Blake. For some reason my feet automatically walked me to the same spot.

"Tomorrow is going to be dangerous." He didn't sit on the bench. He was standing and staring out at the dark forest. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his comfortable looking black sweat pants.

"I know," I agreed as I thought of The Court of Radiance and their guards. My eye brows drew in confusion as he silently stared out at the forest. I wanted to know what he was thinking. I waited a couple of minutes before he spoke again.

"I had some special clothes made for you for tomorrow," he added, but he still seemed distracted.

"Okay," I answered trying to figure out what was wrong. Something was bothering him.

"I have something to give you," he said softly as his head turned away from the forest and to me. His perfect blue eyes stared at me. Before I could ask any questions he was sitting next to me and holding out his hand.

I glanced down at his palm and found silver gleaming. It was Revenge's mark. My hand drew up, and I plucked it out of his hand avoiding contact. I turned the slim ring in my hand. Two ovals overlapped each other, and a small diamond was imbedded in the top band. I slid it onto my pointer finger. It fit perfectly as it had before. My hopes of seeing Revenge grew. I was excited.

"Thank you," I told Zane. I didn't think that was the reaction he was expecting. I think he was expecting me to yell at him and demand why he kept it from me. I was just happy to have it back. I glimpsed up at him to find him staring at my hand. He didn't look happy.

"I am not going to change the way I act toward you," he whispered.

"Zane-"

"I know that you…have some feelings for Revenge." He glimpsed back out at the forest again. "But I am not letting you go," he finished as he glanced into my eyes. I felt electricity starting to build in me even without Zane physically touching me. My stomach flipped, and I couldn't stop glancing into his perfect blue eyes. In these moments, he made me fragile.

"I love challenges," he whispered as I found I was leaning closer to him. And then he was gone. The space next to me was empty. I knew he would be somewhere behind me off in the distance, but I didn't turn around. Zane and his dramatic exits and confusing actions. My body ached with his leaving, and I found myself angry about not receiving a kiss. That's the second time he was going to kiss me but then didn't. I frowned when I realized what I was thinking. Stupid bond. I was going crazy. I sat on the bench for a while more and spun Revenge's ring on my finger. I didn't know what I was going to do. I ended up thinking about my brothers and the one question that I have been in denial to ask all this time. It hurt to think about. Were they _really_ my brothers?

It was weird to think that the very same place I was once trying to break out of was the same place I was now trying to break into. The SUV was elapsed in a rigid silence. I thought about telling one of my great jokes, but by the serious expressions in the car, even on Dax's face, made me hold back.

Black boots were wrapped around all of our feet. Head to toe we were all dressed in black. My brown hair was tied back into a pony tail. Dax held a black suit case that was equipped with top notch technology. Torture and War had on the traditional long black jackets I always saw the assassin crew wearing. Zane and I lacked the jackets in case we needed to fit through tight spots.

"Five minutes," War said. He was driving and counting down the minutes until we arrived in the drop off area. The plan was simple. Torture and War were supposed to act sneaky and intentionally get caught and be a distraction. Dax was supposed to tap into the security system and open the coded doors, and alert us if there were any serious threats. He could switch the lights on or off depending on what was needed. Not that it would make much of a difference since vampires could mostly see through the darkness. Zane and I were supposed to be the real threat. Well he was originally supposed to be solo, but he was letting me go with him. We were the ones who were going to make contact with Revenge and find a way out.

We filed out of the SUV and into a small forest preserve parking lot. The Court Of Radiance was a mile away. I stretched from the four hour drive.

"They probably have a new group of assassins who are less skilled and knowledgeable than we are. They don't know the trade as we do," Zane said as we began walking through the forest. Dax walked beside me and smiled at me when his silver eyes caught mine. He winked at me. I rolled my eyes in response.

"Good luck with all that technology stuff," I whispered to Dax.

"I probably won't need it considering I developed the system," Dax answered with a satisfied response.

"So how old are you anyways?" I asked. He smirked.

"Nineteen and thirteen," he answered. I glanced at him in confusion.

"What does that mean?"

"I was turned when I was nineteen, and I've been a vampire for thirteen years," he explained.

"So if you were human today, you'd be thirty two," I stated. Dax nudged me, and I almost tripped. I don't know how I was going to be sneaky since I was so clumsy. I glared at him as he chuckled.

:::

**I**t was easier to get in than I thought. Dax wasn't going to control the system until Zane and I got on the roof. Zane used a gun that had a hook attached to it. He shot it at the roof and a rope was attached to the gun. It was late in the night, around five in the morning and close to when many of the vampires wouldn't be as aware. Zane's aimed and took out two cameras fast. The silencer hushed the shots.

"You have to get on my back," Zane said. My heart throbbed. I didn't want to, but I said I would do this. Zane had given me the chance, so I would take it and do what I needed to. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and my legs wrapped around his waist. The contact was almost too much and sent my heart rate speeding. As soon as his feet his the top of the roof, I released my grip on him immediately. Zane disconnected the rope and shoved the gun into his pocket. Heavy wind brushed against me. The roof was covered in a blanket of darkness, and memories of being there with Revenge flooded my head.

"Let's go," Zane moved past me with smooth steps. I followed him closely. There weren't any guards on the roof. Maybe that's one of the reasons why Revenge liked it so much. We stopped at a door.

"Now, Dax," Zane called into the ear piece. The lights that hung off of the roof shut off in pairs. We were immersed in darkness. I stood as still as I could as my eyes tried adjusting to the black all around me. A hand pressed against the small of my back. Electricity ran through my spine.

"Follow my lead," Zane whispered into my ear. I nodded. The door opened with no protest since Dax had taken control of the security system. Dax had told me that they didn't know if Revenge had woken up or not. After fending off Fade, Revenge had lost a lot of blood and considering his poor health too it wasn't the best thing for him. When Zane and everyone left The Court of Radiance, Revenge still hadn't woken. We were all only hoping. I stumbled twice in the first couple of steps on the stairs. Zane tossed me in his arms. I wasn't in the situation to protest.

The first guard we came to was down within seconds. Zane easily walked up behind him and slit his throat. Zane held a hand over his victims mouth before he sank to the floor. Blood dripped onto Zane's sleeves. Zane's knives were all laced with silver, and it wouldn't kill the guards. It would only paralyze them for a few hours. Zane's hand was at the small of my back once more. We got to Dr. Barrett's floor, and we stopped in the stair case. Zane signaled for me to wait. He opened the door. I stood still in the stair way with my heavy heart beats. I heard a grunt and then a small yell. Zane was back in a couple of seconds.

"Come on." I followed him out of the stair way and into the hall. It was the medical hall. Two guards were collapsed on the ground. There were no other guards left in the long hall. They probably were all rushing to War's and Torture's distraction.

"Let's be quick. I think one might have called for help. We quickened our pace. I remembered walking down this hall way when I had come to visit Revenge a while ago. His door was all the way down the hall. Zane stopped walking.

"Damn," he whispered as he turned.

"Go find him. More guards are already coming," Zane added. I started to jog down the hall. Zane stayed by the elevator and stair well waiting for the attack. I rounded the corner and knew the door. It was pale and white just as all the other ones were. I rest my hand on the knob and turned it. The door opened with a creek.

Revenge was sitting up on the edge of his bed and staring out of the window on the opposite side of the door. The silver moon light cut through the room and hit his profile. The blankets on the bed were all tossed aside. He wore a pair of white sweat pants and a gray shirt. I took a step inside.

"Revenge," I whispered his name. His posture shifted a little, and he glanced over his shoulder. His silver blue eyes glimpsed into mine with a sense of sadness I've never before seen in his gaze.

"I tried to tell them." His soft voice barely made it to me. I took slow steps. A wooden board underneath my foot creaked.

"Revenge," I said his name again. A silenced shot sounded in the hallway.

"They wouldn't listen to me," he added to his previous statement. His black hair looked like it needed to be cut soon. I came around the side of the bed he was on.

"What wouldn't they listen to you about?" I asked as I sat down beside him.

"You. They wouldn't listen when I told them that I loved you." His silver blue eyes looked at me intensely. My heart jumped, and I felt shaky. "You would never try to kill me," he added. His hand was pressed against the bed. I wrapped my hand around his pale one. I held his hand in mine. My heart beats increased. I glanced out of the window into the darkness. I didn't know what to tell him. I looked back at him to find him staring at my hand with a frown. He picked his hand up and mine followed along. His eyes flickered to mine in surprise.

"Human, you're real?" I was just about to answer when Zane's voice collapsed the silence around us.

"I am out defending you and risking my life and you are simply sitting here," Zane said in the doorway. I got to my feet, and Revenge shortly followed. A smile was suddenly on his pale face.

"They told me you were dead…but you're not…you're…" he trailed off as I started to pull him along with me. Zane stood with Dr. Barrett. Zane's hand was clutching Dr. Barrett's white collar. Revenge's other hand slid down my arm as if testing to see if my skin was real.

"Lead the way," I told Zane. We came out of the room. I counted seven bodies as we walked down the hall and to the stair case.

"Blair," Revenge said softly beside me. My green eyes turned toward him in the darkness. I had a hard time with the steps, but once I got a rhythm going it was easy.

"Yes?" I said as I followed Zane's fast pace.

"I just-"

"Duck!" Zane shouted. I couldn't react quickly enough. A small prick awakened my senses on my neck. Instinctively, my hand flew to my neck to figure out what had happened. I pulled out a small dart. Dots grew in my vision. I tripped over my own foot. I heard Zane yell.

"Watch your step!" And our small group started to climb the steps again. Dizziness swirled around me.

"Blair, are you well?" Revenge's concerned voice seemed distorted in my mind. It was loud in some places and soft in the others. A door opened and we filed outside. I believed we were on the roof.

"Blair, look at me," Revenge said once again. I tried to turn my eyes to him.

"As soon as we make it into the forest we will be cleared," a voice in authority announced.

"I'm fine," I said sloppily as I stumbled again. Revenge's arm was wrapped around my waist.

"Zane, we may have a problem," Revenge said from what seemed like very far away even when he was right next to me.

"And what would that be?" My vision was lost in icy blue as Zane held my head up with both of his hands pressed against my cheeks, and my face was close to his.

"Blair, what happened?" Revenge asked.

"Ummm… A dart hit me," I shouted although in my ears it sounded like a whisper.

"And just when were you planning on telling me this, my human?" Zane's arms went under my legs and he carried me to the edge of the roof.

"Never," I answered late. The next forty minutes were a blur as I fought off sleep and sickness. I was in no way going to be unconscious. I was going to hang in there. I was held in Zane's arms. There was yelling and screaming.

I don't know how we ended up in the SUV, but I was glad for it. The whole crew shoved itself into the car. I was sitting on Zane's lap. I glanced up into his eyes. The ice was tinted with fire.

"You were injected with poison. Dr. Barrett said you will pull through. You will be fine." Zane held me close to him. There were seven seats in the car, so I don't know why I wasn't sitting in one of those. I didn't mind at all. I laid my head on his shoulder and had no idea what was happening around me. Comfort radiated inside of me. It felt like it was coming from an outside source. I couldn't quite figure out if it was maybe the bond through Zane. Voices spoke. They were loud then soft. Colors mixed together in my vision and made no sense. Finally, I had a realization.

"I'm going to throw up." And I did. Right on Zane's bloodied black boots. The car pulled over. In the morning's rising sun, I heaved over and over again. Hands pulled my hair back. No other cars past us. The road we were on must've been scarcely used.

"It's okay, Blair." Revenge's calm voice relaxed me. After five minutes, I laid on the dew coated grass with my face pressed up against the cold ground. Revenge rubbed my back.

"Come on, human, it's time to get up," Revenge whispered as he pulled me to my feet. His arm wrapped around my waist, and I couldn't help myself. I threw my arms around Revenge. My face brushed against the cloth of his gray shirt. This time I didn't feel him flinch in surprise or stiffen. He wrapped his arms around me without hesitating.

We shoved back into the car. This time I sat next to Revenge. I felt his hand interlace with mine. I glanced over at Torture who was sitting beside me.

"You look terrible," I managed to whisper to him. My voice was raspy. His face was streaked with blood. Multiple cuts and bruises littered his body. I saw him give a rare smirk.

"Wait until you see yourself," he answered which caused me to look down at my dirt covered hands.

Zane had captured and brought along Dr. Barrett. He was sitting in the back and going on and on about how he needed to be released. Zane finally silenced him with a threat. Revenge ran his hand through my hair comforting me, so it wasn't long before I gave in to my desire to close my eyes.

:::

**I **was startled awake by movement.

"Blair, we have arrived." His voice made me tighten my hand around his. Revenge. I opened my eyes and saw his silver blue eyes looking at me. His black hair brushed further into his eyes than I was used to. I noticed that his face was very narrow and a little sunken. Slowly a small grin started to form on his face after I wouldn't stop staring at him.

"Ummm…Hi," I said softly as I found out I was caught staring.

"Hello," he answered which made me smile.  
"Let's go you two! Believe it or not there's a world that exists and it's not just you two." Dax opened the SUV's door as he spoke. Revenge helped me to my feet then stepped out next to me. We joined the whole group in front of the car. We only took a few steps before we were stopped. My insides were still upset. A tall man stepped forward with a small group of people behind him. Maria, the girl who had tried to 'test my worth', was standing among the group. Zane stepped closer to my side. The man in front glared at Zane.

"You are not permitted here," he said in a voice that seemed final. His silver eyes scanned over our bloodied group.

"It seems like we should talk about this in the meeting room," Zane retorted.

"Who is he?" I sluggishly whispered to Zane. He glanced down at me. Red still slightly tinted his eyes.

"Ah, it's about time I introduce you, my human. This here is Ash."

:::

**Hello!** So what did you guys think about this chapter? If you have any constructive criticism I would love to hear it! SUMMER. I hope your start to summer is going well! YAY REVENGE! Story Question**- Who do you prefer Zane or Revenge? **

***** Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers!*****

**Poolnight**- Hello there :) Thank you so much for your kind compliments! And don't you worry! I'll make sure to continue to update, even if it takes me a long time. As for her seeing her family again… you're just going to have to find out :D haha thank you for both of your reviews!

**Dire Heart 5**- Hey! Haha! Revenge actually doesn't end up being too much of a problem with Zane. Even though Zane gets jealous of Revenge, Revenge was still turned by Zane. So Zane and Revenge have a lot of respect for one another and like each other. It would be really sad if Blair got in the way too much and they couldn't be civilized toward one another! Zane wants Revenge out just as much as Blair. He's part of the crew, so I couldn't have Zane be upset and jealous really. Thank you so much for reviewing! It's always nice to hear from you!

**ZisisGirl23-** Haha! Yeah, it's been nice to write these Zane alone time parts. I know a lot of people wanted more Zane time earlier on in the story, and they sure are getting it now! Thanks for reviewing!

**WithLove 101**- Hello! Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

**Bonnie D'Salvatore**- Ahaha! Well, in her defense, Revenge kind of was in a little bit of a bad situation… couldn't forget about him completely like that! But I do see your point. It seems like she can never enjoy time with Zane because of him.

**ERB000-** Hello there! Sorry for the late update… lol As for with Torture… well, that's all I really had for him to be mad about. It was just built up frustration with Blair for not thinking about everyone who she was putting in danger. Thank you for reviewing :D

**Arcadecat**- Wow! Your joke really had me going! Haha, good one! Awww, that's cute! I can see your whole point of view with the Revenge vs. Zane thing. Good points. Well, Dax happens to be free up to this point in time! You're the first one to ask for him too I believe XD haha thank you for reviewing!

**The Huntress of the Night**- Hello :) I'm so happy you love it so far! :D makes all the plot struggles worthwhile! Huh, interesting point… I guess she is in a way still being kept against her wishes, but it is for the better! Thanks for your review—And your little reminder XD

**Vampirefreakk-** hahaha! I'm glad to give out some happiness just through an update! :D Thank you for reviewing!

**AlexandraSterling41-** Thank you! Happy to hear that you loved it!

**Tamika**- haha! I think Zane didn't get too bad! As I was saying to a previous reviewer, Revenge is Zane's crew member too! Thank you for reviewing! :)

**DJShayShayxx-** Hehe :D I know, I love how Torture didn't know what to ask or how to comfort her, so he just gives her his coat because she's cold XD ohhhh Torture! What a funny guy. I thought it was a cute moment too! Glad Dax is bringing the joy! Actually, no, lol I've never heard of the show Lost Girl haha! Is it good? Thank you for your review!

**daring2dream**- Hello there! :D I loved your review! Well, the main reason I think Blair is so attached to Revenge is because he was the one to guide her at first and take care of her. So there's a kind of safety and attachment to him. Also, Revenge cares more about her wants while Zane only really considers her needs. Yeah, I ended up developing a more complex plot than I thought lol. I'm probably going to end up writing a sequel! Sorry, that annoying withholding information is my fault… it tends to be a writing tactic I'm drawn to since I HATE when stories reveal everything right away… so I like to leave those questions out there. Next time I write a story, I'll consider it more. I see exactly what you mean with the description thing! It might take me a while to correct naturally, but you brought up a good point! Ugh, I just love when people help me notice things about my writing then give me tips on how to make it better. What a great time! Lol Thank you so much for your wonderful review!

*****Have a wonderful Sunday!*****


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen **

"You failed to correctly hold back my actions." Zane smirked in satisfaction as he spoke.

"You didn't follow my orders." Ash's silver eyes looked angry. I spotted a tiny tint of red in them. The room was divided. We were in the meeting room, which was in a neutral cabin for different occasions. On one side, Ash sat with his crew, and on the other Zane sat with his.

"Of course I did. You said that I could not lead a rescue attempt. I didn't. Dax did," Zane retorted. Ash looked scary. His anger collapsed in the room. He was around six feet and four inches tall. He had deep brown hair that was slightly out of place.

"I shouldn't have to clarify when I don't want you to do something. You knew well enough I didn't want anyone to go at all. You've decided to test me." Ash's deep voice resonated through the small room. He was a grumpy gills. I smiled to myself thinking I was the funniest person ever.

"The guards at the court were easy anyways. They had no chance defeating us. Without us, their security is terrible. I would see no problem with sneaking in and killing off the princess. It wouldn't take much effort." Zane shrugged.

I was starting to feel a little warm. The poison felt like it was eating at me inside. Revenge held my hand while I sat right next to him. Our chairs touched. Trying to get me to release his hand was going to be difficult. Zane sat across from us at the rectangular table. Torture was sitting beside Zane. I made eye contact with Torture's silver eyes. I gave him a weak smile, and he frowned. He stared at me as if…he was worried? I slouched down in my seat, and my eyes were only half-open. I kept telling myself to stay awake.

I was starting to burn. Wincing from the sudden sharp pain, I squeezed Revenge's hand. I looked up at Zane who was busy saying something to Ash. Suddenly, his ice blue eyes snapped to me. He ceased talking. The room went quiet waiting for Zane to finish whatever it was he had paused in saying.

"Where is the doctor?" Zane rushed through the sentence as he smoothly got to his feet.

"Zane, we are not finished talking. If your group decides to put my village in trouble like you have, then you aren't welcome here." Ash was ignored.

"I am not in the mood right now, Ash," Zane spoke with anger and urgency. I think everyone realized he was telling the truth when his eyes flashed red. It was then I realized Zane could beat Ash in a fight. Zane wasn't scared of Ash at all. My insides were on fire. A groan of pain slipped through my dry lips. "Revenge, move," Zane's voice held authority. I squeezed Revenge's hand. Pain started to lace itself through my sore body. A sick feeling started to emerge. I thought I had gotten over being poisoned, yet it seemed like the poison was only starting to get serious now.

"No," his whisper fell into the silent room. Both of the crews didn't know what was happening.

"You don't get to say no, Rev. I am asking you one more time to let her go and move." Zane's calm voice didn't fool anyone. He was furious.

"I won't," Revenge said back to him. I glanced over at Revenge's pale face. His face was set with worry. His eyes were starting to change. Red crept up around the silver blue of his eyes. There were angry vampires everywhere. Everyone was on edge.

Sweat began to form on the surface of my skin. My insides turned with nausea. I wanted out of the chair, so I could lie down.

"She-" Revenge began but was cut off by Zane.

"Revenge. If I have to warn you again, you are going to get hurt." Revenge's hand only tightened on mine.

"It's okay," I whispered to Revenge only because I knew Zane was stronger and serious. A weird sensation of anger held on the peripherals of my emotions. It felt like a foreign emotion, it wasn't mine. It was Zane's. I closed my eyes and waited for Revenge to drop my hand. He didn't.

"I gave you a fair warning." Zane's cold voice woke me. Before Zane did something to Revenge, I spoke quickly.

"Revenge. Let go." My voice was so low I'm surprised he heard it. His hand loosened, and then suddenly tightened again. "Please," I voiced not wanting Zane picking a fight with Revenge over me. Revenge looked over at my pained face. I just didn't want Revenge to get hurt. Slowly, his hand began to relax. Revenge always listened to me, unlike Zane who always did what he pleased. Before he fully dropped it, Zane picked me up in his arms. My hand jerked away from Revenge's.

"Excuse me," Zane stated to the room that seemed stunned in silence.

"Doctor follow." His last demand came through, and the steady shuffle of doctor Barrett's footsteps followed somewhere behind us. The last words echoed in the quiet room before we disappeared.

"Why in the hell are they bonded, and why has no one told me?" If possible, Ash was angrier.

The morning breeze brushed against my sweating skin cooling it. The door slammed behind us.

"Doctor, what the hell is happening?" Zane carried me into a row of cabins. Very few people were out, and the ones who were didn't pause too much in what they were doing.

"The poison is starting to take dominance." Doctor Barrett's words were quiet. My stomach felt a dizziness I had never experienced before. It was like being carsick times ten.

"Why the hell did you tell me she was going to be okay?" Zane's voice was full of anger. I rested my dizzy head on his chest.

"The poison that I believe was injected into the girl has only been released days ago. It's something new the court created. I have seen people overcome it, and I have seen what has happened to her. It seemed she was getting better and then it strikes back. It's unpredictable. By the way she was acting earlier, I thought she was okay. She had survived through the first twenty minutes."

"What is the antidote?" Zane started to step up a couple of stairs, and I slightly opened my eyes. We were entering his cabin. The doctor didn't answer his question. The doctor shuffled inside. My vision started to become obscured. The light on the ceiling twisted in a warped way.

"There isn't one that we know of," Barrett finally answered. Zane's grip on me tightened.

"What do you know about it?" Zane asked as he sat me down on the couch.

"It acts similar to Ricin. It attacks the cell's proteins and eventually-" Barrett began to explain but was cut off by Zane's voice.

"I know how Ricin works. What about it do you know that I don't?" Zane asked almost in an annoyed manner.

"Please turn around," Zane added to him before Barrett had the chance to answer. Why did Zane want Barrett to turn around? I glimpsed up at Zane's eyes. They were dominated with red but blue still lingered. I frowned when I spotted a knife in his hand. I squirmed under his hands slightly confused. The knife came under the collar of my shirt. The blade pointed upward, and he ran the blade down the center toward the end of my shirt. The ripping of fabric entered my ears.

"Named Factor X. Symptoms… dizziness, sickness, weakness, confusion, loss of consciousness, or she could become energized and her mind might become altered in its way of thinking…the list goes on and on. And you do know that internal bleeding may-"

"I know," Zane replied with irritation. I looked down at my torn shirt agitated.

"Zane," I whispered his name to let him know I disapproved. Why in the world did he just rip my shirt in half? Oh. My. Goodness. I glanced at my exposed skin. Startled I tried to sit up and back away from Zane.

"My human, I am only trying to remove your clothing incase the poison came into contact with-"

"No," I cut him off and curled away from him. The room tilted with my sudden movements. I felt like I was going to throw up. Again.

"Blair." Startled with him calling my name, I glanced up at him. He solemnly called me by my name.

"Relax," he finished. There was no way I was going to relax. He was taking off my clothes.

"No," I groaned. My world didn't make any sense. Where in the world was I anyways? How did I get here? I searched the blurriness of the room. The brown walls blended. Hands brushed against my skin over my shoulder. He pulled my arm up and pulled my arm through the shirt. I tried to push him away in protest, but I just wasn't able to do any damaged. He pulled my other arm through. My muscles were weak and sore. I glanced down at my body. I was topless. My boring black bra was the only thing on the top half of my body.

Zane stared down at me. I only saw red in his dangerous eyes. Tingles ran through my limbs making me feel numb.

"Doctor, throw me a soapy towel. They are under the sink," Zane announced. Moments later the cold towel ran over my sweaty skin. I closed my eyes at the soothing feel. Chills collected on my body. I didn't know if it was from the coldness of the towel or Zane's touch. A blanket soon draped over my body.

"I am going to take your jeans off, but you have the blanket covering you." Zane didn't listen to my mumbling protests. I burned with heat inside of me. The poison showed no mercy to my fragile body. I clutched the thin blanket to keep my body covered.

"is burn." The words passed through my dry lips. A drop of water fell from my face. Confused I raised my hand to my cheek. I was crying. My body felt weighed down in pain.

"My human, look at me." Zane's voice almost sounded fragile. I slowly raised my eyes with warped images making my mind fuzzy. His figure was a blur. I saw red flow from his arm. Realization struck me.

"No! No blood!" I shook my head and turned away from him.

"What does she mean blood?" A distant voice announced in the room.

"Don't worry about it, doctor," Zane responded as I closed my eyes. I was going to throw up. I placed my protesting arms underneath me and slowly pushed up. A man came into my view. I related his image with doctor but couldn't figure out why. Wait. That's Doctor Barrett. How could I have forgotten?

"How many times have you exchanged blood?" The doctor's frantic voice didn't stop Zane.

"A few times, but I have not bitten her. There is no need to worry about her changing."

"But if you-"

"Leave. You have no use here." Zane's smooth voice didn't yell. He never yelled when he was angry. His cold collected composure was something to be weary of. I heard a door shut somewhere behind me.

"My human, you will listen to me." Zane's voice was starting to make no sense to me. My whole body was aching and burning. Liquid hit my lips. I coughed in surprise. The liquid coated my mouth and eased the burning. It was only when I realized what it was that I brought up my arms to try to push him away. I didn't even make contact with Zane. My coordination was so off, but he did pull away from me. My eyelids began to close.

"Burning," I faintly whispered. Zane must've heard because his hand pressed against my hot forehead. In a moment, I was wrapped in his arms with the blanket still covering me. Cold skin pressed against my burning skin. I sighed. He started to walk out of the cabin. A rumbling of the sky made me open my eyes. I looked up at the darkened clouds above us. It's going to rain. Zane is here, and if I could just get Revenge… then…then… I couldn't think. My thoughts jumbled together. Nothing made sense to me. Where in the world was I anyways? Why was I here?

I glimpsed up at the unfamiliar man who held me in his arms. Through the blurriness of my vision, I saw his sharp facial features exaggerated, and his blue eyes popped out in comparison to everything surrounding me. He was so pretty. Why was I in his arms? Where was he taking me? Fire felt like it was blazing inside of me. Dizziness swarmed around me.

"Stop…no…this is…who?" I tried to yell, but my voice was only a soft gasp.

"My human, calm down." His voice was so smooth and flawless. Tension gathered in me just because of his voice. It was then I realized that I had no reason to panic. He was mine.

"Mine," I whispered as I tried to touch his face with my palm. Instead, I missed and my hand landed somewhere on his chest. A slick smirk brought his lips into a smile.

"Let's have you say that when you are better," he replied as his smile grew. I saw a flash of white teeth. My stomach turned over and over again in dizziness. I felt like… I felt like I was going to…

"Throw up," I said urgently. I was set down, and my bare feet pressed against sand. I fell to my hands and knees and threw up right on the sand. The blanket collapsed on my back. A hand placed itself on my back. My hair was tugged back and disappeared away from my face. I heaved over and over again, even when my body couldn't give anything up.

An arm wrapped around my body and pulled me up. I let him help me stand. I cast my eyes over him. Zane. I thought with sudden realization. Confusion mixed in my emotions. The blanket fell away from my shoulders. I looked down at my black bra and black bikini underwear, and at the time, I just didn't care. I glanced up at Zane who stared at me without trying to hide it. I didn't understand why a faint glow of red was starting to mix into his eyes. He snapped his icy blue eyes away fast, and tightened his grip on me.

"It is going to be fine." He let me know as we paced the small beach. He held my weight as he helped me walk back and forth.

"Just keep walking, it will help." And so I walked. My burning and weak body paced back and forth stumbling every five steps. My shaky legs barley kept me up as the sickness nauseated my body.

"You are still warm," Zane said suddenly. One of his arms held me up as the other pulled at his T-shirt. I was back in his arms again. My pounding head lay against his bare chest. I closed my eyes, and only opened them when I heard a faint swishing sound. He was walking us into the lake.

The cold water brushed against my feet first. Relief from the burning washed over me. He waded in until I was neck deep. An electrical tingle past through me as soon as the fire subsided. I realize his bare skin was touching mine. My heart beat quickened. A slow dripping sound made me turn my head in wonder. Raindrops hit the surface of the lake. I glimpsed up at Zane. He was staring down at me with concerned blue eyes. His silver hair began to be weighed down by the steady raindrops.

"Thank you," I whispered so low I only hoped he heard me. My eyes shut, and soon the world around me dropped into a deep blackness.

:::

**"If** it came to world domination, I would be the perfect ruler. I'm just saying." Dax's voice always managed to be the one to wake me. I only pushed open my eyes a little. I couldn't feel Zane's presence. Anxiety filled my senses without me wanting it.

"You lost, Dax." War's voice held a hint of a smile.

"I did not. I quit," he answered. I opened my green eyes all the way to find his arms crossed over his chest. Dax's blond hair was ruffled, it seemed like he had run his hands through it a lot.

"Brazil attacking Peru," a light familiar voice said. Revenge.

"Your hair looks cute," I called to Dax who sat closest to me. My voice was so raspy I barely recognized it as my own. I tried to clear my throat.

"Why good morning, beautiful! I do think I heard a little sarcasm in your voice, but I'm still taking it as a compliment." Dax stood up as he spoke and stopped beside the bedside table. He picked up a glass of water and turned to me.

"You're going to have to sit up a little." My muscles ached with soreness. I carefully pushed myself up.

"Here you are." Dax handed me the glass. His silver eyes watched me closely. My slim fingers wrapped around the glass. I downed the glass of water within a minute. I felt the water slide down to my stomach and awaken my body.

"Medicine. You've got to stop getting injured." Dax handed me two white pills. I took them without questioning him.

"Now that I've taken care of you, how do you feel?" he asked as if he just provided me with some miracle potion that took away all my pain. I took stock of my feelings. I felt terrible. I wanted to brush my teeth extremely bad, and my muscles protested every time I moved. A small headache throbbed at the back of my head.

"Almost a hundred percent better. Thanks, Dax." My voice cleared up a little. I rolled my eyes after I spoke. His silver eyes seemed to brighten at me as he smirked.

"Take it easy with the sarcasm. You might hurt my feelings," he lightly replied as he smiled. He backed away and put the glass back on the table.

"Susan has been arguing with us for three days trying to get your unconscious body back to her house. She doesn't trust that we'll take proper care of you." I've been out for three days. I glanced beyond Dax. War was leaned back on a chair with his feet crossed in front of him and his arms folded at his chest. A small table was pushed in the corner of the cabin. Revenge sat on one side and Torture sat on the other. A board game took all of the room on the wooden table. I tried to see what the game was but failed.

"What game are you playing?" I asked as I glanced up to see everyone staring at me. I tried to run a hand through my brown-knotted hair. My hand became stuck, and I immediately gave up.

"Risk," Revenge answered as he gave me a relaxed smile. He didn't make eye contact with me. It confused me since he was intentionally avoiding it.

"And who's winning?" I asked with my eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"They're pretty much tied right now. They've been at it for five hours," Dax let me know as I sank back into the pillow.

"Revenge…can you come here so I can talk to you?" I forced the words through my lips feeling unusually shy.

"Alright everyone! That's our cue," Dax announced as he stood up again from his chair.

"You guys don't have to leave. I was just-" I began to protest.

"Don't worry about it, beautiful." Then quieter, "don't encourage them to continue their game that is going nowhere." I felt awkward as the room started to empty. Torture stopped beside my bed before he left.

"You still look terrible," he murmured which was as deep as Torture ever got with emotions. I liked to believe it was his way of telling me he was happy I was okay. I maturely stuck my tongue out at him. When everyone left the room, it was silent. Revenge still hadn't moved from his seat in the corner of the room. For a few minutes, I watched him stare at the game board.

"Revenge," I only said his name, but it was enough to make him glance up in my direction expectantly.

"Yes?" he answered in a small whisper.

"What's wrong?" My throat still felt sore, so I spoke lightly. He didn't answer. However, he did stand from his seat. He wore a nice pair of dark jeans and a navy blue sweater. He slowly paced across the room thinking, so I didn't interrupt. He stopped suddenly and faced me.

"I-I just…" He struggled to find the right words. His dark hair contrasted perfectly with his silver blue eyes.

"I don't think I can take care of you properly," he quickly answered as he bowed his head in what looked like shame. He sighed heavily as he sat down on the chair next to my bed Dax had previously been sitting on. My eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"Revenge, what are you talking about?" I didn't want him being upset with himself. There was no reason for him to be.

"Zane just took you, and I didn't fight for you," he murmured, as he still didn't meet my eyes.

"I didn't want you to fight for me," I answered honestly. I didn't want him to get in the way of an angry Zane. I knew where this was leading.

"I couldn't help you when you were sentenced to death or trapped at The Court of Shadows…You're a carrier, and I just can't always ensure that I will be healthy enough-"

"Stop," I interrupted his little nervous tangent. He was fidgeting under my stare. He didn't seem to be able to bring himself to meet my gaze.

"None of the things that have happened are your fault." He stared down at his hands that were clasped together.

"Revenge, look at me." He gradually brought his silver blue eyes to me. They looked miserable and tense. I stared into his eyes.

"It isn't your fault, and you haven't done anything wrong," I told him. He glanced back at me.

"I feel…like I can't keep up with you." He added after a long pause. I let out a loud laugh.

"I don't think anyone can." And with that, I got a smile from Revenge. An hour later, I held a notebook in my hands. Revenge was still sitting beside me. I looked at the three by three boxes. I put an X in the corner. With a smile, I handed it back to Revenge. He scribbled an O. He won the game of tick-tack-toe once again. Revenge had won twenty times, I won twice, and we had a hand full of ties.

"That's it! You win!" I said frustrated as I threw the notebook at him. Of course, I missed.

"I have a secret plan for us when you are able to be stand on your feet again," Revenge told me as he picked the notebook off the floor.

"Hmmm…interesting," I answered as I thought of what that might mean.

"Human."

"Yes?" I asked as I shifted my weight. My whole body ached.

"Are you…How do you feel about Zane?" I froze. Nervousness collected in my stomach. I wasn't ready for this question. I just wasn't. I thought about Zane and how it hurt waking up without him there.

"I-I…" I stuttered unable to think coherently about what I was going to say. I had nothing to say. And saying anything about Zane in front of Revenge was nerve racking.

"I'm sorry. That wasn't fair. You don't have to answer," Revenge said as he fidgeted in his seat. I thought for a moment more. I decided to give the best answer I could.

"Honestly, I don't know. But the bond isn't something I can ignore," I told him uneasily. Just thinking about seeing Zane filled me with hope. I didn't understand what it meant. I didn't understand how the bond related to my feelings. How much was me and how much was the bond? I just wasn't sure.

"Thank you," he whispered before there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Revenge answered.

"See their clothes are still on!" Dax said knowingly to the two boys that trailed him. I grinned as I rolled my eyes. I glimpsed at Revenge to find him looking nervous from the comment. It only made my smile grow.

"Hey Dean, Allan," I greeted the werewolf boys.

"Hey," they answered almost in unison. Their striking blue eyes peered at me.

"Want to help us plan plots against Zane, Torture, and War?" Dax happily asked.

"I would love to! I couldn't think of anything more productive to do stuck in a bed all day anyways." I answered as I thought about the couple of days I'd probably be sulking around all lazy and achy.

"Oh, I definitely can." Dax winked at me. I picked up an extra pillow and threw it at him. It ended up being short and landed just before his feet.

:::

**OH MY GOODNESS! **So I was just looking at my plot folder... I think I have just three chapters left! I have a sequel to ICC in the plotting works! :D As always, I love to hear what you all are thinking about the story!

*****THANKS TO ALL MY REVIEWERS/FAVORITES/ALERTS*****

**You guys already know you're the best : ) **

**Katie0616- hello there! Yay! I'm happy to make you happy! Thank you so much for taking the time to review! **

**The Huntress of the Night- Hello :) Yeah, I can see what you mean. Zane's behavior is completely different from Revenge's. Haha no problem! Thank you for reviewing and reading! **

**Dire Heart- ahaha! If something didn't happen to Blair it would be boring :D Wow, there are more Zane fans than I thought! Interesting :) Thanks for reviewing! **

**Forever-Buckskin- Hello! Zane can really be a pain sometimes, and Revenge is a lot nicer than Zane! You had good points! I'm sure you're not the only one who gets annoyed with Zane! Haha thank you for reviewing! **

**DJShayShayxx- Hello there! :) I know right? It was nice to write Revenge back into the story! Ahaha! Torture did get a little smirk in there! :D I love Dax too. I don't know what I would do if I didn't create him as a part of this story. He makes everything so much better! I might have to check that show out when I get the time! Sounds interesting! Thank you for your awesome review! **

**LetsGetTragic- haha! Logging in is a little bit of a hassle sometimes! Another Zane fan! I'm just so surprised with how many people chose Zane :D haha thank you for taking the time to review! Logged in or out, I appreciate it! :D **

**ERB000- Hey there! Wow, that is defiant! Hmmm… I'll think about what you're suggesting! I kind of already have the last three chapters planned out! But anything is possible really :)Thank you for your review! **

**Arcadecat- awwww! Wow, I'm so happy to hear that! It really makes me want to do a happy dance or something haha. I'm glad this story draws emotion from you too! That is always a huge part of any story! Ugh. You're review made me so happy haha thank you so much for reading and taking the time to review! **

**District7TE-**** hello there! I'm glad that you've liked it so far! haha I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! :) **

*****I hope you all have a great rest of your Sunday!*****

**Oh! And here are the character votes (so interesting!)—people who distinctly said "I chose…over…"**

**Revenge: 1**

**Zane: 5**

**Torture: 1 **


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